Mounties testify about cellphone data at Moncton murder trial

Jurors in a Moncton murder trial heard testimony from two RCMP witnesses Monday about data extracted from a cellphone during the investigation into Joedin Leger's death. 

The testimony came at the start of the sixth week of Riley Phillips's trial on a charge of second-degree murder. The 20-year-old is accused of killing Leger, who was 18, in Moncton on April 25, 2022. The Crown alleges Leger was shot during a home invasion and robbery involving Phillips and five others. 

Monday's testimony related to a cellphone from a witness who testified on Friday. That woman, who CBC New Brunswick isn't naming to protect the identity of a male witness who cannot be named, said she allowed her car to be used by the group planning to rob Leger. 

RCMP Const. Natasha Couture, a digital forensics specialist, testified Monday that she extracted data from the woman's cellphone. That included videos from the Snapchat messaging app, she said. One video was recorded around 1:18 a.m. and another at around 2:41 a.m. on April 25, 2022. 

The jury has yet to see the two videos. 

Magalie Sephton, a criminal intelligence analyst with the RCMP, testified about using GPS data to locate where the videos were recorded.

Sephton said the first video was recorded in Moncton at Lexi's Lounge. That's where the witness who testified on Friday said she went with the group planning to rob Leger. The second video was recorded at an apartment of the girlfriend of one of those involved in the plan, Sephton said, and the cell phone remained there until just before 6:30 a.m. on April 25.

Both witnesses said they were involved in extracting or examining data from other cellphones as part of the investigation into Leger's death. 

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Munro, Sephton was asked about messages on April 24, 2022, that were extracted from other phones seized in the investigation. However, the jury has yet to hear the content of those messages. 

The trial began on Sept. 23 and has heard from 27 witnesses. Last week, Justice Robert Dysart said Monday's witnesses were expected to be the last the Crown would call to testify. However, there was no further indication on Monday as to whether the Crown will call other witnesses.

Dysart told jurors an issue would be discussed in their absence on Tuesday and he instructed them to return to court on Wednesday.