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Hundreds of bone fragments found after police spent 3 days sifting ashes, Derek Saretzky murder trial hears

Meghan Grant | CBC News | Posted: June 20, 2017 3:19 PM | Last Updated: June 21, 2017

WARNING: Story contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers

Image | Derek Saretzky Hanne Meketech Terry Blanchette Hailey Dunbar

Caption: A jury is now deliberating the fate of Derek Saretzky, top right, who is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the 2015 deaths of Hanne Meketech, and Terry and Hailey Blanchette. (Facebook/RCMP)

The fire pit where Derek Saretzky says he burned the body of a two-year-old he'd just killed was still smoking when officers arrived more than 24 hours later, jurors heard Tuesday at the Alberta man's triple-murder trial.
RCMP Sgt. David Westin, with the forensic identification unit, testified at the trial in Lethbridge, Alta., that once the fire was fully extinguished, he spent three days sifting through the ashes, extracting hundreds of fragments of bone and teeth as well as several weapons and charred clothing.
Last week, the jury saw videos in which the accused first confesses to police he kidnapped and killing the child, Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, then re-enacts the various indignities he performed on her body.

Image | Derek Saretzky re-enactment

Caption: Derek Saretzky at the scene where he told police he killed and dismembered Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette in this still from a police video. (Court exhibit)

Saretzky also admitted, in two separate incidents, to killing Hanne Meketech, 69, in the Crowsnest Pass community of Coleman and Dunbar-Blanchette's father, Terry Blanchette, 27, in neighbouring Blairmore.
In both cases, he said he severely beat the victims with a baseball bat and crowbar and then attacked them with a knife.
The 24-year-old has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths. The father and daughter are believed to have been killed five days after Meketech was found dead on Sept. 9, 2015.
The day after Blanchette's body was found, court heard, Saretzky's cousin Shane Koinberg — whose mother owned the land with the fire pit along with her sisters — approached Const. Christopher Girard, an RCMP officer investigating the kidnapping of Dunbar-Blanchette and the murder of her father.
Koinberg told the officer there was "something weird" at the family campsite. Police descended on the property.

3 days spent sifting

Police carefully used small amounts of water to extinguish the smouldering burn barrel, but its contents remained hot and forensic identification unit Sgt. David Westin burnt his hands as he began to sift through the ashes and debris, the jury heard.
A blue tent had been erected over the pit to protect it from the elements. Westin and other officers then spent three days sifting and collecting hundreds of pieces of evidence to be photographed, tested and examined.
Officers found hundreds of teeth and bone fragments, a hatchet, knife, remnants of a burned pair of jeans and a charred boot, books, a fork and spoon.
A metal pot with dried blood was also discovered. Jurors have already heard DNA tests confirmed the blood belonged to the toddler.
Surrounding the pit, police collected more hatchets, a hammer and a crowbar.
Chemicals sprayed around the property glowed blue at night, indicating there was blood in the grass and on a child's toy near the fire pit.
Saretzky admitted to having feelings for Cheyenne Dunbar, the child's mother and Blanchette's ex-girlfriend, who is set to testify on Wednesday.
Court of Queen's Bench Justice William Tilleman is presiding over the trial. Patrick Edgerton is representing Saretzky.
  • Get the latest developments in the trial from our reporter in the courtroom in our blog below. On our mobile app? You can also see it here.(external link)

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