A gruesome murder case is now before the courts in Barrie, as jury selection gets underway in the trial of Andrew Keene.
Before jury selection began at the courthouse on Monday morning, Keene was asked by the judge how he pleads to the charges of second-degree murder and committing an indignity to a body in the death of Alexandra Flanagan. In a quiet voice, he replied not guilty to both counts.
Keene sat quietly in the prisoner’s box, as more than 100 potential jurors looked on. Flanagan, a local hairdresser, was 33-years-old when she went missing in July of 2007.
She was last seen alive on July 8, 2007, not far from her Wellington Street apartment – she was reported missing the very next day.
In October 2007, her remains were found in Barrie, near Lackies Bush. Four months later, more of her remains were found along a popular trail in the city. In June 2008, Flanagan’s funeral was held.
In October 2011, Keene was arrested. Police searched a section next to Highway 400 by Bayfield Street looking for what they called “more evidence.”
Police said they were on Keene's trail since the beginning of the investigation. He was originally charged with first-degree murder, but it was downgraded to second-degree murder during a preliminary hearing in June of 2013.
The jury selection process is expected to take most of the week to complete and by the end, 12 jurors and two alternates will be chosen.
The trial itself is scheduled to last five weeks.
