The trial of two men charged in the stabbing death of 18-year-old Francesco Molinaro continued on Friday.
Witnesses took the stand to recount details of the 2016 altercation in Wasaga Beach that ultimately took the young man’s life.
The courtroom was shown cell phone video of a fight on the beach’s main strip, footage his family couldn’t bear to watch.
Claire Van Landschoot, a friend of the victim, recalled how they were approached by three men they didn’t know.
“The boy in the middle said ‘do you know me?’ They went back and forth, his tone of voice was aggressive, he got up into his face, nose to nose, and it seemed like a fight was going to happen,” recounted Van Landschoot.
She went on to tell the court she, Molinaro and a group of friends were waiting outside a pizza shop when three young men approached, including the two on trial, Eric Talbot and Johnathan Landsberg.
Witnesses recalled that Molinaro threw the first punch, got into a scuffle with one of the men, and fell to the ground, where he found himself trying to fight off all three men.
Witness Emily McCurlie told the court, “He started spitting out blood, he was wearing a big fuzzy jacket, (and) as soon as he took it off we saw all the blood on his side.”
Molinaro’s cousin says the death was senseless. “This family did not deserve what they’re going through at this moment.”
The trial is scheduled to last six weeks and will resume on Monday morning where two more witnesses are expected to take the stand.
