Wingham’s First Murder

Having lived in Wingham for four years, and now living just about an hour away, I’m watching with interest the reports from the first ever murder trial of a Winghamite.

The trial was supposed to be held in Goderich but that town’s courthouse was heavily damaged in last month’s tornado. So it was moved to London and it has just gotten underway this week. I recognize all of the places that are being mentioned in evidence but I don’t recognize the people involved at all. The man accused of second-degree murder is 31 now. He and the deceased, 23, were involved in a love – no, sex triangle with a young woman who has at the very least, awful taste in men.

The victim was in a fight with the accused’s brother, who called the accused to come to the scene and “have his back” during the fight. The accused had two teens from Listowel with him in his truck when he drove to where the two men were fighting behind a building in Wingham and, this is where testimony differs. The truck either slid on ice and killed the victim by crushing him into a wall, or the driver deliberately drove into him. Either way, the 23 year old died instantly and the four people on the scene went on with their lives. No one told. The crime went briefly unsolved before both brothers were charged with killing the young father of two. It appears they are being tried separately.

This is Wingham’s first murder since the police force there was formed in 1879. I can’t explain teen boys at the best of times but how a teen girl could be so hardened as to be inside a truck that killed a man before her eyes and then go back to her life, even texting the accused that she would like to live with him, is beyond my understanding. It’s awful and it’s fascinating and I hope the peers of those involved are as horrified as I am by it.

Post Script: I had lunch with a bunch of colleagues today and among them was Kate Stockman who is covering the trial for CKNX radio.  Among other things she told me charges against the other brother were dropped.  The case has already been delivered. On Monday it’s closing arguments and the jury starts deliberating on Tuesday.