Father of man accused of killing an Orillia mother of 5 says son is innocent

Warning: Some readers may find the details in this article disturbing.

The father of Rob Sampson, the Orillia man on trial for the murder of his girlfriend nearly four years ago, arrived at the Barrie courthouse Monday to show his support for his son.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts
• Get the latest updates sent to your email

"I'd like to get the message out that he's not what he has been made out to be," said Don Sampson, proclaiming his son's innocence.

"He's a good son," he added.

Sampson was charged with first-degree murder five months after Tracy Reid's half-naked body was found outside the Silver Swan Villa Motel in Orillia on July 19, 2019.

Sampson's family and friends arrived at the courthouse Monday to rally behind the 58-year-old as the trial entered its third week.

"It's very important, very important," Sampson's father said about the family supporting his son.

The Crown's case against Sampson is he killed the 45-year-old woman in an act of domestic violence.

Tracy Reid, source - Facebook

Witnesses have testified Sampson was controlling and abusive towards Reid, who was struggling with alcohol addiction and had been evicted and barred from the Silver Swan Villa Motel, where they lived.

The Crown says she died after 60 blunt force injuries to her head and neck.

• RELATED | Orillia firefighter testifies at murder trial slain mother of 5 suffered brutal injuries

Last week, an Orillia firefighter who was at the scene where Reid's body was found testified she suffered "heavy bruising on her face like she had been through a war."

Rob Sampson, 58, of Orillia, Ont., sits in the Barrie courtroom on trial for the murder of Tracy Reid in July 2019. (Court Sketch: Linda Laforge)

The defence argues someone else killed Reid and that Sampson is innocent of murder.

On Tuesday, the Crown is expected to call a key witness to the stand.

The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.