Murder trial focuses on cell phone messages John Sedo sent to his missing wife
The ongoing murder trial of John Sedo, the Aurora man accused of killing his wife, Helen, more than three years ago, focused on his cell phone activity and ATM transactions in court on Tuesday.
The jury of seven women and five men heard testimony from the York Regional Police computer forensic examiner, who detailed John's cell phone activity around the time his wife disappeared.
Text messages retrieved from his cell phone were presented to the court, including one sent to Helen on July 31, 2020, two days after John alleges she went missing. In the text, John expressed concern for her safety, mentioning that her son and brother were worried and that he was prepared to report her missing if she didn't respond.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
John had told the authorities that his wife of 35 years had left following a heated argument on July 29, 2020.
Helen's cell phone was later discovered in the couple's backyard, and her passport had been left behind at their Aurora home.
The court was also told that on the same day Helen went missing, John visited an Aurora bank and withdrew $500.
It was shared with the court how John told investigators he went to the family's Huntsville property after Helen left to clear his head and ride his dirt bike. He told investigators that he had forgotten his cell phone at home, and when the bike broke down, he headed back to Aurora to find his wife still hadn't returned.
The court learned he reported Helen missing days later when her family became increasingly concerned for her safety.
Last week, Helen's brother testified she had confided in him concerns about her marriage to John being troubled. The couple had also allegedly confessed marital difficulties to others, including disagreements over Helen's care for her ailing parents.
Three months after Helen went missing, hunters found her abandoned SUV destroyed by fire in a dense forest near Williamsport Road, northeast of Huntsville.
Despite having never found her body, police arrested John and charged him with second-degree murder.
The Crown is set to call its final witness, the couple's son, Michael Sedo, on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian former Olympic snowboarder wanted in Ontario double homicide: DOJ
A Canadian former Olympic snowboarder who is suspected of being the leader of a transnational drug trafficking group that operated in four countries is wanted for allegedly orchestrating the murder of an 'innocent' couple in Ontario in 2023, authorities say.
Ontario school board trustees under fire for $100K religious art purchase on Italy trip
Trustees with an Ontario school board are responding to criticism over a $45,000 trip to Italy, where they purchased more than $100,000 worth of religious statues.
A photographer snorkeled for hours to take this picture
Shane Gross, a Canadian marine conservation photojournalist, has won the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tobacco giants would pay out $32.5 billion to provinces, smokers in proposed deal
Three tobacco giants are proposing to pay close to $25 billion to provinces and territories and more than $4 billion to some 100,000 Quebec smokers and their loved ones as part of a corporate restructuring process triggered by a long-running legal battle.
More Trudeau cabinet ministers not running for re-election, sources say shuffle expected soon
Federal cabinet ministers Filomena Tassi, Carla Qualtrough and Dan Vandal announced Thursday they will not run for re-election. Senior government sources tell CTV News at least one other, Marie-Claude Bibeau, doesn't plan to run again, setting the stage for Justin Trudeau to shuffle his cabinet in the coming weeks.
Robert Pickton's handwritten book seized after his death in hopes of uncovering new evidence
A handwritten book was seized from B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton's prison cell following his death earlier this year, raising hopes of uncovering new evidence in a series of unprosecuted murders.
Former members of One Direction say they're 'completely devastated' by Liam Payne's death
The former members of English boy band One Direction reacted publicly to the sudden death of their bandmate, Liam Payne, for the first time on Thursday, saying in a joint statement that they're 'completely devastated.'
Israel says it has killed top Hamas leader Yayha Sinwar in Gaza
Israeli forces in Gaza killed top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a chief architect of last year's attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel's most wanted man.
Indian government employee charged in foiled murder-for-hire plot in New York City
The U.S. Justice Department announced criminal charges Thursday against an Indian government employee in connection with a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist leader living in New York City.