Crown alleges Eduardo Balaquit's death caused by accused's 'financial desperation'

The wife of a man missing for nearly four years broke down in tears as she testified in a Winnipeg courtroom about the effect her husband's disappearance has had on her and their family.

"It's breaking my heart all the time," said Iluminada Balaquit.

She spoke in the afternoon on the first day of the trial of Kyle Pietz, who was 35 when he was charged in March 2021 with manslaughter in the death of 59-year-old Eduardo Balaquit.

On June 4, 2018, Eduardo Balaquit went missing. His body has never been found, and there is no DNA evidence linking Pietz to his death.

Crown attorney Vanessa Gama, speaking Monday morning, told the 14-member jury that the evidence presented in the trial will show that Balaquit is dead, and that Pietz is responsible.

"This is a case about a man driven by desperation, and the desperate measures he took on June 4, 2018 that cost Eduardo Balaquit his life," Gama said.

Pietz has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent.

During the hearing he sat behind the Crown and defence attorneys, with short dark hair and wearing a black hooded sweater and black collared T-shirt. 

In her opening statement, Gama said Balaquit's life of "consistency and routine" left a trail for police following his disappearance on the night of June 4, 2018 — and that trail led directly to Pietz.

That trail included a mysterious trip to Arborg, Man., and back the night of Balaquit's disappearance. Two of his debit cards were inserted at a 7-11 on Ellice Avenue, with correct PINs, and money was withdrawn.

"This is a case about financial desperation," Gama told jurors.

Gama contrasted the characters of Balaquit and Pietz. 

Balaquit was a hard-working man who owned his own cleaning business while working a full-time job he had held for more than 20 years, she said.

Pietz, on the other hand, "was spiraling out of control."