Autopsy details blunt force injuries on Tracy Reid's body in Rob Sampson murder trial
Warning: Some readers may find the details in this article disturbing.
Rob Sampson sat in the prisoner's box, at times hanging his head, while postmortem photos of his girlfriend, Tracy Reid, were displayed in a Barrie courtroom on Monday as a forensic pathologist testified.
The doctor who performed the autopsy on the slain mother of five told the court Tracy Reid likely died of blunt force injuries to her head and neck, and that underlying heart disease and exposure to cocaine may have contributed to her passing.
The 45-year-old woman's body was discovered in July 2019 outside the Silver Swan Villa Motel, where she had been living with Sampson on and off for a year.
Crown attorney Kathryn Ginn claims Reid died after 60 blunt force injuries.
Ginn has pointed to an abusive relationship between Sampson and Reid, with witnesses testifying he was controlling and that she was afraid of him.
Sampson's supporters, meanwhile, stand firm that he has been wrongly accused.
His defence lawyer aims to convince the court the Crown's key witness who found her body could have killed Reid by hitting her with an e-bike that morning and moving her body with a friend, who has since passed away.
The forensic pathologist's testimony will continue Tuesday, with cross-examination by the defence.
The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Haida elder suing Catholic Church and priest, hopes for 'healing and reconciliation'
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Yemen's Houthi rebels claim downing U.S. Reaper drone, release footage showing wreckage of aircraft
Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed shooting down another of the U.S. military's MQ-9 Reaper drones, airing footage of parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft.