Editor's Note: The details outlined in the court case below are graphic in nature.
Alleged killer John Thomas Shaoulle began his trial at Court of Queen's Bench in Prince Albert for the charge of first-degree murder in the death of Margaret Sewap Monday morning.
At the beginning of the trial the agreed statement of facts were read describing the details of how 33-year-old Margaret Sewap’s body was discovered on Apr. 8, 2011.
The crown prosecutor read that two Prince Albert residents discovered the body behind the Bolt Supply Store at 25A 17th Street East, while trying to find a secluded area around 6 a.m. that morning.
The pair reported the body to Prince Albert Police Service who arrived on scene around 6:30 a.m. discovering the naked body of Sewap.
The crown read when Shaoulle was pulled in for an interrogation, during a break he attempted to burn a pair of black gloves with a lighter.
He was stopped and charged with obstruction of justice, although he was later released.
Police then arrested Shaoulle in early Nov. 2011 at the Prince Albert Correctional Centre at a later date while he was serving time there for an unrelated incident.
At that time he was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Sewap.
Crown questioned their first witness, Constable Linda Lair with the Prince Albert Police Service who was serving with the Forensic Identification Section at the time.
Lair described the pictures she took at the scene and what was discovered there.
She described finding various items of clothing, which assumedly belonged to Sewap, scattered around the body.
Lair also described how there were various blood-like stains on and around the body of Sewap, as well as a noticeable wound with blood-like stains on her rectum. She went on to say that Sewap also had various bruises on her body.
Lair detailed how there were a number of hypodermic needles scattered around the scene of the murder as well, but no apparent needle marks were found on the body of Sewap.
Later Lair described her involvement in the autopsy process of Sewap in Saskatoon.
She described how there were burn marks on Sewap’s arms, legs and torso and how the hair on the back of her head had been scorched.
The trial will continue this afternoon with defense cross examining Lair.
jbowler@panow.com
On Twitter: @journalistjim
