Justice Dallas Miller is expected to hand down his verdict Monday in the judge-only second-degree murder trial that sees Deborah Belyea accused in the homicide and indignity of human remains of her husband Alfred.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
On Monday Justice Dallas Miller is expected to hand down his verdict in the judge-only second-degree murder trial that sees Deborah Belyea accused in the homicide and indignity of human remains of her husband and Cypress County councillor Alfred in the province’s top court.
Over the course of a seven-day trial held earlier this month the Crown prosecution called 17 witnesses to testify including two of Belyea’s daughters, as well as RCMP officers involved with the case, Cypress County councillors and forensic, DNA and toxicology experts.
The prosecution team led by Jase Cowan claims Belyea stabbed her husband to death in the living of their home in Suffield and amputated both his arms sometime between Oct. 7 and 8, 2021.
After killing her husband the prosecution claims Belyea wrapped Alfred body in a blue blanket, plastic table cloth and large plastic tote lids to move his body down one flight of stairs in their bi-level home.
Prosecution claims Belyea then put Alfred’s body in their grey municipal garbage bin that she then loaded into the back of her Volkswagen Golf and drove to an abandoned rural property south of Piapot, Sask., where the body would be discovered near an out building by RCMP on Oct. 15, 2021, the same day Belyea was arrested.
The court heard Belyea reported Alfred missing on the evening of Oct. 10 following a phone conversation with her eldest daughter Trina.
RCMP began a missing person’s investigation and began searching for Alfred on Oct. 11.
During the investigation Deborah claimed the last time she saw Alfred alive was on Oct. 9. Deborah says Alfred got in a pickup truck with a man named Dan or Don to check out a problem with a county gravel road, and did not return.
However, County Reeve Dan Hamilton told the court it’s unlikely Alfred would have gotten in someone’s vehicle to inspect a road and the job would have only taken him a maximum of one hour to complete.
Through testimonies the prosecution attempted to show the court how RCMP were able to connect several pieces of evidence to Belyea’s home and the crime scene in Saskatchewan, including the missing municipal garbage bin, a broken handle that matched large bloody tote lids and fabric and rope used to wrap the deceased body.
As well, Alfred and Belyea’s blood and DNA were confirmed to be found throughout the Suffield living room, stair way and all around the Volkswagen Golf.
Alfred’s blood and DNA were also discovered in a garbage bag full of bloody clothing that Belyea gave to her friend Shandel Dupal.
But perhaps the most crucial evidence shown was a handwritten letter authored by Belyea that included a map that leading police right to Alfred’s body.
Defence counsel Katherine Beylak told the court the evidence presented by the Crown left gaps, and a lack of evidence should make the court hesitant with Belyea’s guilt.
Beylak claims the dates Alfred went missing are only speculation and the prosecution hasn’t provided significant evidence to prove when he was murdered.
As well, Beylak was able to confirm through cross examinations that the chemical agent used by RCMP to detect suspect blood at a crime scene may also give a positive reaction to several cleaning products, foods and animal blood.
Beylak also disputes the Crown’s theory that Belyea, 70, could lift her husband’s remains into a garbage bin and then into the back of her vehicle. The body weighed 79 kgs during autopsy.
The court learned Deborah has been dealing with health issues since she suffered a stroke in 2001 and has been using oxygen on and off since 2009.
Beylak also argued RCMP officers had tunnel vision while investigating the homicide and Justice Miller said the court is aware of the issue of tunnel vision in cases of similar nature.
A verdict will be handed down by Justice Miller in the judge-only trial at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Court of King’s Bench.
