Amber Kirwan murder trial wraps, jury deliberations to begin

After three weeks of emotional and sometimes painful testimony, the jury for the Amber Kirwan murder trial will decide the fate of Christopher Alexander Falconer.

Falconer, 31, is charged with first-degree murder in the New Glasgow teen's death in the fall of 2011. He has pleaded not guilty.

Both sides presented their closing arguments Friday. 

Defence lawyer Mike Taylor spent the first part of the morning arguing Chris Falconer is not guilty of first-degree murder. He suggested the "nicely packaged evidence" found in his client's car is "highly suspicious."

Taylor was referring to the plastic bag containing a tank top with both Kirwan and Falconer's DNA on it. He told the jury it wasn't there when his girlfriend helped Falconer clean his car on Oct. 15.

Taylor wondered why Falconer would put it there three weeks later when police found it.

"Circumstantial evidence is just that — it's not conclusive of anything, it's highly questionable. They have to ask a lot of questions about the evidence that was put in front of them and not only what it means but what it doesn't mean," said Taylor.

Crown attorney Bill Gorman laid out his theory that Falconer saw Kirwan, overpowered her and confined her in the early hours of Oct. 9, 2011.

"She was fed drugs, ingested drugs and I would suggest that was to facilitate what was going on there," said Gorman.

"Ultimately when he was done with her, [Falconer] took her from that site, stabbed her multiple times and buried her naked in a clandestine grave."

Over the last three weeks, dozens of witnesses have testified.

Chris Falconer's father Scott was the final one on Thursday. He was the defence's only witness.

The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Monday.