Murder suspect’s criminal responsibility centrepiece of trial

THUNDER BAY – The Crown and defence agree, David Wilson fatally stabbed a 48-year-old man nearly two years ago.

But the second-degree murder trial will be decided on whether the now 50-year-old-Wilson, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, is criminally responsible for the death of Robert Barbeau.

The trial began Monday at the Thunder Bay Courthouse with jury selection, followed by the opening argument from Crown prosecutor Rob Kozak and the first witnesses of the case.

Kozak began by entering an agreed statement of facts into evidence, stating Wilson stabbed Barbeau in the parking lot of their McLaughlin Street apartment complex during the evening of June 5, 2014.

According witness testimony from Caley McDonald and Michelle Wanecki, and video surveillance that was shown to the court, Barbeau was in the parking lot of the apartment complex helping Wanecki, his girlfriend’s daughter, and her boyfriend, McDonald, put power steering fluid in their leaking truck.

While outside, the three were watched by a man Barbeau said was a neighbor who was acting strangely. The man approached them and asked if they knew somebody who could sell his sleeping pills so he could acquire painkillers.

They refused and went about their business with Wanecki and McDonald leaving shortly afterwards. Barbeau is then seen walking out of range of the camera at about 8:56 p.m., followed by the neighbor.

As McDonald and Wanecki drove towards the Pacific Avenue bridge they saw the neighbour running down the road and away from the building.

Other tenants in the apartment complex found Barbeau laying in the parking lot at 9:20 p.m. stabbed in the head, with the knife still in the wound.

Barbeau was rushed to hospital and died from his injuries on June 8, with the cause of death identified as a stab wound to the head.

Thunder Bay Police Service officers arrested Wilson the morning after the incident and took him into custody. In the parking lot investigators found a glove that had both DNA from Wilson and blood from Barbeau, as well as a jacket in Wilson’s apartment that had his DNA and Barbeau’s blood.

At 8:39 p.m. on June 6, while in custody at the Balmoral Street station, Wilson asked if officers had his anti-psychotic medication, which he said he took twice daily at 5 a.m. and before he fell asleep at night.

Shortly afterwards he was informed the officers didn’t have it but would try to get it from his apartment.

“Any statements I make from here on out will be meaningless,” he told the officer who was supervising him.

He also mumbled, “I’ll be going for the insanity plea.”

The Crown is planning to call four witnesses before defence lawyer Neil McCartney gets to present Wilson’s case.

The trial is scheduled to last through the entire week.

None of the charges have been proven in court.