The high-profile trial of a man accused of murdering two seniors almost seven years ago started Tuesday in Moncton, N.B.
Janson Bryan Baker has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 74-year-old Rose-Marie Saulnier and her husband, 78-year-old Bernard Saulnier.
The jury was shown crime scene photos of the Saulniers, who were shot and killed in their home on Amirault Street in Dieppe, N.B., on Sept. 7, 2019.
“Looking at those images may be tough for some of you, and I apologize for that, but this is a murder trial,” Crown prosecutor Brad Burgess warned the jury of eight men and six women.
The court heard an “armed intruder under the cover of darkness” shot the Saulniers in the head while they were in their nightclothes.
Burgess said testimony will reveal Bernard Saulnier’s gold watch and gold chain was stolen by Baker off his body.
Hours later, Baker posed for a photo wearing the chain and that picture was eventually seized by police and shown in court on Tuesday.
The gun used to kill the couple was never recovered, the court heard.
Burgess told the court the couple had lived in the home for more than 40 years, and they were close to both of their sons, including Sylvio Saulnier.
The jury heard Sylvio, who was in his mid-40s, struggled with addiction and was living with his parents when they were murdered, though he wasn’t home at the time.
The jury also heard Sylvio lived a complicated life and was involved in the drug trade. Police had made drug raids in Moncton just 10 days before the killings, including at a downtown duplex owned by Sylvio.
The court also learned Sylvio’s associates believed he was a police informant and called him a rat.
The Crown alleges Nicholas Daniel Bain, directed Baker about killing Sylvio.
The first witness to testify Tuesday was a family friend, Nadine Vosburgh, who brought a therapy dog for support. She became emotional when recalling the details of what she saw when she and Sylvio arrived at the home around noon on Sept. 7, 2019.
“She was laying face down, her head was tilted as if she was looking at Bernard and there was blood all over the bed,” said Vosburgh of Rose-Marie.
“He was laying on his back and he was in a pool of blood,” she said of Bernard.
Vosburgh told the court that she called out to Sylvio that his parents were dead and told him they needed to call the police, before running out of the house.
During cross examination Vosburgh said she knew Sylvio Saulnier was involved in drug trafficking but wasn’t aware of the extent.
She admitted she received threats after the murders took place and reported them to police.
The Crown says it will call a witness who will testify that Baker admitted to breaking into the home looking for Sylvio and instead shot the Saulniers in Rose-Marie’s bedroom.
That witness, whose identity is protected under a publication ban, is expected to testify on Thursday when the trial resumes.
During the lunch break, friends and family of the Saulnier’s politely declined interview requests from reporters saying they will wait until the trial is over.
The trial is expected to last three months.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Derek Haggett.
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