Video Evidence Shows Accused Going In And Out of Homicide Scene

The jury during the second day of a second-degree murder trial tied to a 2023 homicide in Brooks heard from Alberta’s chief toxicologist and a RCMP major crimes section corporal as the Crown continues to run down its witness list. 

Abune Getahun, 45, is facing allegations of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Tesfahiwot Haile, 41, in July 2023.

RCMP Cpl. Christian Cyr testified to going through footage from six different security cameras placed around the exterior of the main floor of the first floor of the commercial plaza. But none were available from the interior of the second floor living area of the complex located at Seventh Street East in Brooks.

The jury was presented a graph of all the identified individuals who entered and exited the second floor living area from the day prior to the homicide to the day after.

But it was the hours leading up to, and even minutes surrounding a 911 call alerting first responders to Haile’s injuries, which were the focus of Crown Brian Shantz direct examination of the Mountie.

The jury saw videos of Getahun and Haile together speaking in an animated manner with each other and communicating with individuals in a red minivan outside the complex’s front parking lot around 1:30 pm on July 23, 2023.

Haile is later seen speaking with RCMP Const. Sandy Carmichael around 4:30 pm which the jury saw and heard from a different angle from the Mounties dash camera during her testimony on Monday. Carmichael remarked on an apparent injury Haile had but the man didn’t not care to elaborate its cause.

The videos show Getahun entering and exiting the upstairs entrance of the complex several times as well as milling about the exterior of the building.

But it was the period around 5 pm which was a focus of many of the questions put to Cyr.

Just before that hour, Getahun was seen exiting and entering the building and then likewise again doing the same a little after 5 pm.

Another individual, Jo-ann Power, was also seen exiting the building just before 5 pm and riding off on a bicycle.

By 5:09 pm, Getahune was seen in the middle of the complex’s parking lot with an ambulance showing up approximately five minutes later.

During cross-examination by defence lawyer Kirsten Lancee, she questioned Cyr as to whether Getahune was placing a call to 911. 

Cyr stated he didn’t know.

Lancee also questioned Cyr regarding the time the accused and homicide victim were left alone in the complex’s second floor based on the chart examining the entrance and exit of individuals seen in the security videos.

Cyr agreed that it was likely around two minutes, possibly less.

Tuesday’s testimony opened with chief toxicologist Craig Chatterton from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner who told the jury Haile tested positive for alcohol, methamphetamine and cocaine based on a blood sample taken after he was taken to hospital on July 23 but before he died.

The alcohol levels in his blood were more than twice the legal limit to drive a vehicle. 

While Chatterton couldn’t specify the timeline of consumption of the methamphetamine or cocaine, he did indicate Haile could have been on either side of the peak effect of the narcotics. But he added the specific impacts of the combination of the drugs and alcohol would be difficult to determine on a specific individual, though, generally speaking they could effect behavioural norms.

The trial continues Wednesday at Medicine Hat Court of King’s Bench.