Thomas Ted Barrett murder trial hears how Brett MacKinnon's body was found
Yvonne LeBlanc-Smith | CBC News | Posted: January 18, 2016 9:46 PM | Last Updated: January 18, 2016
Trial told skull and spine discovered in wooded area of Glace Bay
The second-degree murder trial of a Glace Bay man charged in the death of a young woman opened Monday with testimony describing the discovery of human remains.
Thomas Ted Barrett, 40, is accused of killing 21-year-old Brett Elizabeth MacKinnon, who was last seen alive in 2006. Her remains were found two years later.
Barrett is being tried by judge alone in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Sydney.
Hunter Eric MacPhee was one of eight witnesses to take the stand. He told the court he and his niece found MacKinnon's remains in a wooded area of Glace Bay he described as an old tram line.
Several bones were found, including a spine and a skull. MacPhee testified he was in such shock that he called his girlfriend and asked her to look, just to be sure. He then called police.
He said it appeared there was an old Sobeys bag on the back of the skull.
The plastic bag was entered as evidence Monday. Cape Breton Regional Police Const. Rollie Morrison testified the bag was underneath the skull and there was a knot in it.
Court was told a forensic analysis did not retrieve any DNA from it.
The court also heard from some who knew MacKinnon. Chantelle Frisson lived with her and MacKinnon's boyfriend, Travis Tower. She testified MacKinnon and Tower argued, and Tower was jealous.
MacKinnon's mother, Lynn Singleton, told the court she last saw her daughter two weeks before she went missing.
MacKinnon had suffered a miscarriage and they were at the hospital together. She said her daughter was upset and Singleton heard Tower threatening MacKinnon over the phone.
Singleton testified she did not take the threat seriously.
Two weeks have been set aside for the trial.
Barrett will also be tried in the fall in the death of 21-year-old Laura Jessome.