No guns found near victim, forensic officer tells Saint John murder trial
CBC
Zakkary Reed told police that Alexander Bishop pointed a gun at his face during an argument around the time Bishop was shot, according to a videotaped interview police did with Reed about 12 hours after the shooting.
As he was leaving, Reed said he heard a gunshot and fled the scene in fear, thinking Bishop had shot at him.
But a forensics officer testified on Wednesday that investigators didn't find any firearms within reach of Bishop's body.
Sgt. Matthew Weir said that officers had to dig under what he described as "debris piles" in order to find any guns — and most of the weapons were disassembled.
Reed, 32, is on trial for first-degree murder in the Aug. 20, 2023, death of Bishop, who was shot once in the chest in an apartment at 170 King St. East.
Weir testified that he and another forensics officer searched the cluttered apartment for weapons and that none were visible on first inspection and that it took a lot of time to find several firearms that were there. For example, they found a handgun inside a case, that was inside a plastic tote that was covered with clothing and other items.
One of the disassembled shotguns was found in a corner packed with debris.
In addition to weapons, Weir said he was looking in those piles for blood, but didn't find any.
Last week, Reed's ex-girlfriend, Hanna Graham, testified that she saw Reed shoot Bishop once in the chest with a shotgun and that Bishop immediately fell to the floor and died on the spot.
Weir also said he was present at Bishop's autopsy, where samples were collected from Bishop's hands for a gunshot residue test. The result of that test has not been presented at the trial.
On Wednesday, jurors also heard from other Saint John police officers about the arrest of Reed less than four hours after the shooting.
Reed was taken to police headquarters where his clothing and possessions were taken as evidence.
Weir said they took DNA swabs of Reed's hands and from under his fingernails. They also took samples to be sent for gunshot residue analysis. The jury has not yet heard the results of those tests.
Earlier on Wednesday, the jury watched the remainder of an interview lead investigator Det. Const. Duane Squires conducted with Reed.
Officials from the London, Ont., and several neighbouring counties will push the Ford government for improved passenger rail service in the region when they meet with the Ontario government at a conference in Toronto this month.
A provincial court judge has issued a stern warning to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary to “rethink their approach” when it comes to dealing with complaints of threats and harassment in intimate partner relationships.
Some provincial funding targeted to struggling rural hospitals in the northeast is a boon but some CEO’s say it falls short of keeping them afloat.
A Ukrainian family in Halifax says the federal government needs to provide answers to the thousands of Ukrainians who are now learning that it could be more than 50 years before their permanent residency applications are processed.
On a cold January morning, the owners of Yassou Souvlaki & Donair in Fredericton are busy heating up the kitchen, slicing vegetables and donair meat to prepare for their lunch-hour crowd.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada and the CN Police Service are investigating following a train collision overnight in Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, Que.
Six months after being displaced to a long-term care facility hundreds of kilometres away from his family, Jimmy Spence is holding out hope his days as an evacuee are numbered.
Saskatchewan women ages 43 and older can now sign up for mammogram screening without a doctor’s referral as part of a phased approach to get the eligibility age down to 40 by June.
Some schools, health centres and provincial civil service offices delayed opening or closed for the day on Monday due to weather conditions.
As a seasonal parking ban comes into effect on Edmonton’s residential roads this week, one councillor is concerned about how the city’s failure to fund towing teams will play out on city streets.
Students in B.C.’s biggest districts are missing significantly more school in recent years, with absences having tripled in some places, an exclusive CBC News analysis has found.
An Essex resident has been charged following a dog attack in town.
Charles Snell says he recognizes the need for more housing to be built in Thunder Bay, Ont., but that it shouldn’t come at the cost of losing green space.