Derek Saretzky's lawyer not calling evidence at triple-murder trial, closing arguments Monday
Meghan Grant | CBC News | Posted: June 23, 2017 4:06 PM | Last Updated: June 23, 2017
WARNING: Story contains graphic details that may be disturbing to some readers
Derek Saretzky's lawyer will not call any witnesses to testify at his client's triple-murder trial and jurors in Lethbridge, Alta., have been told to return Monday for closing arguments.
Saretzky, 24, who lived in Blairmore, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of killing Hanne Meketech, 69, and then five days later killing Terry Blanchette, 27, and his daughter, Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, 2.
Saretzky confessed to all three killings in videotaped interviews with police. He told police he had feelings for Cheyenne Dunbar, Blanchette's ex-girlfriend and Dunbar-Blanchette's mother.
On Sept. 14, 2015, Saretzky said he broke into Blanchette's Blairmore home and killed him with a crowbar and a knife before kidnapping the young girl from her crib and taking her to a rural area.
In one of the videos recorded after that police interview, Saretzky took investigators to a campsite that belongs to his relatives, about 20 minutes away from the Blanchette home. He re-enacted how he killed Dunbar-Blanchette, dismembered her body and performed acts of cannibalism on the toddler before burning her remains.
Police recovered hundreds of bone and tooth fragments from the ashes of the fire pit. The girl's DNA was also discovered on a toy and in a metal pot nearby.
Months after he confessed to killing the father and daughter, Saretzky was interviewed by police again. This time he admitted to killing Meketech because he thought nobody would miss her. He was asked during the interrogation if he killed Meketech for practice ahead of the father and daughter slayings, he said: "Yeah."
Jurors will be back in court Monday morning for closing arguments, first from prosecutor Photini Papadatou and then from defence lawyer Patrick Edgerton.
On Tuesday, Court of Queen's Bench Justice William Tilleman will deliver his final instructions to jurors on how to apply the law during deliberations. They will then be sequestered until a verdict is reached.
- Derek Saretzky told police he didn't think anyone cared about senior he's accused of killing
- 'She cried a little bit': Derek Saretzky details kidnapping and killing of child in interrogation video
- 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.
- Derek Saretzky told police he didn't think anyone cared about senior he's accused of killing
- Derek Saretzky 'lost' and 'shaking' hours before he's suspected of 1st murder, says aunt
- Veteran cop who connected Derek Saretzky to 3 homicides gets emotional while testifying
- 'He told me [Hailey] was in heaven': Father of man on trial for triple murder tells jury
- 'A big cut on his neck': Father recalls finding son dead, granddaughter missing at Alberta triple-murder trial
- Hanne Meketech knew Derek Saretzky and likely kept $90K in her mobile home, trial hears
- Meketech struggled with attacker and died from head wound, Derek Saretzky murder trial hears
- Crossed-out names of victims found in Derek Saretzky's home, triple-murder trial hears on Day 1