A Dieppe couple in their 70s were shot once each by a man hired by a drug network to kill their son, a Crown prosecutor told a Moncton jury on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Brad Burgess gave the Crown’s opening statement to jurors, showing them images of the bodies of Bernard Saulnier, 78, on a bedroom floor near the body of his wife, Rose-Marie Saulnier, 74, on a bed.
“An elderly couple dead, killed in their nightclothes in their own home,” Burgess said to the jury. “I suspect you’re probably already asking yourself how, and why.”
Over about 20 minutes, Burgess laid out for the first time the witness, forensics and other evidence that’s expected to be presented during the three-month trial.
Janson Bryan Baker, 29, of Moncton faces two charges of first-degree murder. His trial began Saturday with jury selection. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Burgess said Nadine Vosburgh would testify she entered the couple’s home the morning of Sept. 7, 2019.
Burgess told the jury he expects Vosburgh to testify about being in a relationship with Sylvio Saulnier, a son of the Saulniers who lived with them at the time.
The prosecutor said Vosburgh went to the Saulniers’ home the morning of Sept. 7, 2019, where she found their bodies.
As he outlined her expected testimony, Burgess showed photos of the scene, telling jurors that Rose-Marie was shot in the ear and Bernard through his eye.
Crying and gasps could be heard in the courtroom as the descriptions were given.
Burgess said the couple’s son lived a “complicated and troubled life” and was involved in the drug-trafficking world.
The prosecutor said the son was under police investigation along with a drug-trafficking network led by Jesse Logue.
He said that on Aug. 28, 2019, police carried out a series of raids targeting the network. That included a duplex Sylvio Saulnier owned in Moncton. Logue and other members of the network were arrested, but Sylvio wasn’t.
“A rift grew between him and Sylvio,” Burgess said of Logue. He told jurors that Logue and others came to conclude Sylvio had been a police informant, was responsible for the raids and had stolen assets from the group while Logue was in custody.
The prosecutor said the jury will hear recordings of jail calls between Logue and others expressing hostility toward Sylvio Saulnier in the days before his parents’ deaths.
Messages on Facebook with a network member, Nicholas Bain, are also expected to be shown to the jury, the prosecutor said.
That includes messages saying network members believed Sylvio was a “rat.”
Burgess said that’s where Baker’s alleged role begins.
He said a witness who is expected to testify spent time in prison with Baker, who told the witness that he had been directed by Bain to find and kill Sylvio.
“Kill him in retribution for Jesse Logue and his drug-trafficking group,” Burgess said.
One place Baker told the witness he was supposed to look for Sylvio was his parents’ home in Dieppe. Sylvio wasn’t home. “Unfortunately, his elderly parents were,” Burgess said.
Burgess said the witness realized the importance of the information Baker was telling him and later used it for leniency on charges he faced.
The name of the witness cannot be reported because of a publication ban imposed by the judge.
Burgess said another witness expected to testify is Zachery Trevors. The Crown said Trevors is expected to testify that he went with Baker to the Saulniers’ home that night in a Hyundai Sonata. Burgess said Trevors was in the dark about what Baker planned that night.
Burgess said Trevors is expected to describe how Baker broke into the couple’s home and observations Baker made inside.
Trevors is also expected to testify about Baker stealing a watch and gold necklace from Bernard Saulnier, which Burgess said Baker was photographed wearing hours later.
A photo of Baker wearing two gold necklaces was shown to the jury as Burgess spoke.
Burgess said a neighbour is expected to testify about hearing a loud scream around 2 a.m., and that the witness — the one who cannot be named — will testify Baker said Rose-Marie screamed before he shot her.
Burgess said that witness is expected to testify that Baker told him “that scream, Rose-Marie’s scream, gave him nightmares.”
Burgess said police later searched a Hyundai Sonata that had been reported abandoned near Trevors’s home. He said a forensics officer is expected to testify about finding a fingerprint on a CD in the CD player that matched to Baker’s prints.
As well, Burgess said a 9mm round of ammunition was found under the driver’s seat of the car. The prosecutor told the jury that two spent 9mm casings had been found in the bedroom where the Saulniers’ bodies were found.
But, Burgess said, while the jury will hear about a gun, it was never recovered. The prosecutor said Baker told a witness the gun was destroyed.
Justice Cameron Gunn noted in his instructions to the jurors that the Crown’s opening statement is just an overview of evidence they may hear.
Vosburgh, the first Crown witness, began testifying after the opening statement.
Baker’s trial is scheduled to last for three months.
