Pynn-Butler trial: Gunshot to neck caused Nick Winsor's death

It was a single shotgun blast to the neck that caused the tragic death of 20-year-old Nick Winsor, a Supreme Court jury was told Friday.

Chief medical examiner Simon Avis, who performed the autopsy on Winsor two days after his death, took the stand at the second-degree murder trial for Philip Pynn and Lyndon Butler.

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Avis described Winsor's wound on the right side of his neck as relatively large.

Based on the fact that the pellets did not disperse before entering the body, Avis estimated that the gun was situated three to five metres away from Winsor when it went off. 

Avis was unable to say at what angle the gun was pointed because there was no exit wound.

During his testimony, Avis indicated that drug analysis of Winsor's body showed the presence of Oxycodone, a narcotic used to treat pain, acetaminophen and cannabis. 

$20,000 chain

Roger Pye, owner of the Gold Factory in Howley Estates, appeared nervous during his testimony Friday.

The jeweller had no involvement the night Winsor was killed, but told the court about his professional dealings with two regular customers — Philip Pynn and Tom "Billy" Power. 

Pye testified that he had helped Power, who he has known for eight years, purchase a gold chain with a cross pendant containing 15 diamonds from a company based in Toronto a few years prior to the 2011 incident.

Pye said Power paid in cash for the piece of jewellery, which was appraised at approximately $20,000.

On June 29, 2011, Pye said Pynn and one of his friends arrived to his store in a white limousine. He said Pynn was inquiring about gold rope chains and the pendant belonging to Power.

The Crown has alleged that Winsor died in Power's garage after Winsor, Pynn and Butler tried to rob Power of his expensive chain. 

Pynn was also a regular customer of Pye's gold store, and according to Pye, purchased a gold chain from him worth $20,000. He said Pynn also paid in cash. 

When asked what happened to Pynn's chain, Pye testified that he thought Power had bought the chain from Pynn.