Witness in Eduardo Balaquit homicide trial testifies about vehicle break-in, stolen bankcards and fraudulent transactions

A trial for the man accused of manslaughter in the disappearance of 59-year-old Eduardo Balaquit nearly four years ago continued Tuesday after it was postponed due to last week’s storm.

Kyle Alexander Pietz, 36, has pleaded not guilty to the charge and is presumed innocent.

Court has previously heard Balaquit has never been found, seen or heard from since the evening of June 4, 2018, when he went to his cleaning job at Westcon Equipment on Keewatin Street in Winnipeg.

Const. Daniel Cifuentes, a forensic identification officer with the Winnipeg Police Service, told the 13-member jury he was dispatched to Westcon on April 24, 2018 – several weeks before Balaquit’s disappearance – after a break and enter.

Cifuentes testified he obtained photographs, seized evidence and attempted to develop fingerprints.

The jury heard, inside the business, a filing cabinet where a cash box was stored had been pried open.

Cifuentes told the jury he seized a metal ruler from a hole punch and a pamphlet. He told the court no fingerprints were detected on the ruler but he obtained fingerprint impressions on the cabinet and on the pamphlet.

Cifuentes testified the fingerprints from the pamphlet were compared to the known fingerprints of Pietz.

“It was a match,” Cifuentes testified.

The court also heard from Winnipeg police Sgt. Matthew Freeman who testified that following Balaquit’s disappearance, the investigation revealed other people were attempting to use Balaquit’s bank cards.

Vanessa Gama, a Crown attorney, read an agreed statement of facts outlining the circumstances surrounding a total of 10 transactions.

“The authorities were able to determine after Mr. Balaquit was last seen alive, a number of fraudulent transactions were attempted on banking cards belonging to him,” Gama told the court.

Court heard money was successfully withdrawn from Balaquit’s account in three transactions while the others were unsuccessful.

The Crown played security video from a 7-Eleven on Arlington Street captured on the afternoon of June 5, 2018, which focuses on a man entering the store who attempted to use one of Balaquit’s bank cards to withdraw $40 from a bank machine in the store.

Court heard the transaction was declined due to an incorrect PIN.

The jury heard the man was identified as Leslie Walker who testified in the trial.

Walker testified he was with another man when he broke into Balaquit’s van after opening the unlocked doors of a different van that belonged to a water heater company from which he stole copper and brass fittings.

“I was scrapping metal,” Walker told the court.

Walker told the court he and the other man later used a crowbar to smash the passenger side window to gain access to Balaquit’s van.

“I ended up grabbing a wallet and a couple of other things,” Walker testified.

Walker testified he was the man in the surveillance video captured at the 7-Eleven. He testified he was interviewed by Winnipeg police a month after Balaquit’s disappearance on July 5, 2018.

Court heard investigators didn’t consider Walker a suspect in Balaquit’s disappearance.

Freeman, meantime, testified six homicide detectives monitored a home on Toronto Street for Pietz on June 5, 2018.

“There were a number of unknown variables we had to prepare for,” Freeman testified.

He told the court Pietz was taken into custody, held overnight and released without charge. Freeman testified Pietz’s common-law partner provided a statement to officers.

After Pietz’s release, Freeman testified Pietz was considered a suspect and officers continued to monitor him.

Freeman told court police reviewed cell phone data obtained from Pietz’s phone which he testified indicated travel to Arborg.

He told the court police initiated a search in the area but nothing was found that assisted in the investigation.

The trial continues Wednesday.