Jury Hears Of Blood Evidence Recovery But Not Results In Murder Trial

A Medicine Hat jury heard testimony from two Mounties investigators who examined physical evidence connected to a 2023 murder in Brooks.

Abune Getahun, 45, is facing allegations of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Tesfahiwot Haile, 41, in July 2023 outside the apartment of the accused above the Blue Nile Shisha Bar in Brooks.

Cpl. Melissa Archambault, RCMP forensic analyst, testified to collecting blood and footprint evidence from the scene of the July 23 homicide from inside the two-bedroom apartment of Getahun and the hallway just outside of the second-floor living space.

Archambault testified to walking into the entrance to the second floor of the commercial, residential complex through an unlocked door three days after Haile was injured and subsequently died from injuries.

The jury were walked through a number of photos taken from the hallway and apartment featuring shoes, several hammers and bloody shirts as well as shots of the floor and hallway of the building.

While the jury heard samples were taken of some of the items, Archambault couldn’t say what was done with the testing or the results.

Of four footprints examined, three were found to have been from paramedics who attended the scene and stepped in the blood while the fourth, which Archambault said was consistent with shoes found in the apartment but not positively matched, was a shoe print in mud.

Under cross-examination, Archambault stated the muddy print was likely left following a blood-letting event with only a drop of blood in the print.

Under defence lawyer Kirsten Lancee’s cross-examination, the jury also heard that Archambault only tested bloodstains directly outside the apartment after being told other bloodstains in the hallway were from previous incidents in the building. Under questioning, Archambault also stated the testing process which produced a presumptive positive for blood on one of the hammers could produce a false positive due to the presence of rust and iron. She added investigators discussed that specific issue at the time.

Cross-examination also heard testimony from the Mountie that Getahun was allowed to go back to his apartment after being detained for a few hours following the July 23 incident.

Const. Veronique Gagnon testified to recovering items of Haile from the Foothills Hospital in Calgary where the man was undergoing treatment prior to his death.

Among those items were a folding knife and drug parafernalia. 

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