THUNDER BAY - A witness who was inside the Dufferin Street apartment the evening of Oct. 29, 2018 testified to seeing Peter Keeash punch Irene Barkman several times and threatening others who were also present.
The witness was called to testify on day two of the second-degree murder trial against Keeash for his alleged role in the death of 32-year-old Barkman. Keeash has pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder, as well as to two counts of uttering threats to cause death and one count of forcible confinement.
According to the witness, who was a youth at the time of the incident and a relative of Keeash, she was present at the Dufferin Street residence with Keeash, Barkman, and two others the night of Oct. 29.
She said others were consuming alcohol that evening and she was sleeping in a bedroom when she heard an argument taking place in the living room between Keeash and Barkman. Keeash then entered the bedroom and carried her to the living room.
“We were just sitting there. Everything happened so fast,” she testified. “He was threatening me and [another individual], that he would kill us I think.”
The witness said Keeash was ‘triggered’ by something Barkman said but she could not recall specifically what.
“He went to Irene and he started punching her,” the witness said. “That’s when I covered myself with the blanket.”
After lowering the blanket, the witness said she saw Barkman on the floor of the living room with blood all over her face.
It was then that the witness said she saw Keeash had a knife, though she testified that while she had seen he had it before, she did not see it when he was punching Barkman.
Keeash also threatened her and another individual with the knife and then called 911 before leaving the apartment.
Paramedics arrived and transported Barkman to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. She died two days later from her injuries.
According to the witness, an individual who lived at the apartment then started to clean up some of the blood on the floor.
The three individuals present in the apartment were transported to the Thunder Bay Police Service headquarters to make videotaped statements.
During cross-examination by defense counsel George Joseph, the witness was questioned about discrepancies between the statement she made to police the night of Oct. 29, 2018 and her testimony.
In the witnesses’ original statement to police, she said she heard arguing and yelling and then heard someone being punched but did not actually see it happen.
“I am going to suggest to you that what you told the police officer is the correct version and you didn’t see any interaction between Peter and Irene, you heard an interaction,” Joseph said.
“I heard and saw,” the witness replied.
Joseph then asked the witness is she saw Keeash punch Barkman, to which she replied that she saw him punch her three times.
When asked why her statement to police was different, the witness responded by saying: “My mind was everywhere when that statement was made. I couldn’t think straight.”
Also called to testify by the Crown Tuesday was former Det. Const. Chris Toneguzzi with the Thunder Bay Police Service and primary investigator on the case, who detailed the early stages of the investigation including taking witness statements and an interview with Keeash after his arrest.
When the charge of attempted murder was upgraded to second-degree murder following Barkman’s death, Toneguzzi described Keeash as calm, quiet, and understanding of everything he was told.
During testimony on Monday, forensic officers with the Thunder Bay Police Service were questioned about why a knife handle found in the living room of the apartment was not fingerprinted.
Toneguzzi was also asked by Joseph if he was aware the knife handle seized from the apartment had not been analyzed for fingerprints, to which he said he was not but added that he would have suggested it be done.
A paramedic also testified on Tuesday and said a male was observed outside the apartment when the team first arrived and left soon after.
Barkman’s condition was described as severe and after being transported to the hospital, medical staff observed several puncture wounds on her neck.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Wednesday with the forensic pathologist expected to testify.
