Miika the German shepherd likely trapped guarding dead bodies for days, jurors hear

Miika the German shepherd paced between two dead bodies she had likely been guarding for days as police officers entered what they believed to be a murder scene back in October 2015, a Calgary jury heard Tuesday.

The first responders who testified Tuesday described the dog as initially aggressive when they were outside the home, but said she becamescared, cowering once they made their way inside.

The officers' evidence was given at Emanuel Kahsai's murder trial. Kahsai is accused of killing his mother Selma Alem, 54, and a disabled woman she cared for, Julie Tran, 25. When friends couldn't reach Alem over the weekend of Oct. 16, 2015, they called police.

• Emanuel Kahsai shouts at jury to call U.S. authorities as double murder trial gets underway

On Oct. 19, 2015,Const. Ryan Goddard the first officer on scene peekedthrough Alem's window to see Miika frantically barking and what appeared to be two bodiesat the base of a blood spattered wall.

When backup arrived, the officers went in through the unlocked side patio door. While police made efforts to preserve and securethe scene, they were also trying to care for the frantic dog.

Inside the house, Miika cowered and paced back and forth between the bodies and the door, saidConst. Jocelyn Woynar.

Miikalikely in house 'a long time'

The officers coaxed the dog away from the two women, and Woynar offered her a scoop of dog food, which she gobbled down "very, very quickly."

Woynarsaid she used a second scoop to lure the pup outside, where the dog immediately relieved itself.

Once outside, Const. Stephen Kelly said Miika "immediately calmed down."

"The poor thing must have been in the house for a long time," said Kelly, who described the situation inside as a "traumatic scene."

Dried blood stained the wall, floor and victims' faces. "Itappeared the scene was a few days old," said Kelly.

Alemlivedas a "supportive roommate"with two disabled adults Tran, who died alongside Alem, and Darrel Beaumont, a man in his 50s who hassignificant mental disabilities after suffering brain injury as a child.

Court heard Tuesday that officers found Alem'shome in animmaculate condition but for one unmade bed. Beaumont, who was at work the day the bodies were discovered, is expected to testify later in the trial as a Crown witness.

Kahsai has been removed from the courtroom and is watching and listening from another room. The 32-year-old is representing himself, but each time he is given the chance to cross-examine a witness, he shouts requests for the U.S. Army and FBI to be contacted.

Justice Glen Poelman has ordered Kahsai muted and taken off closed-circuit TV screens in the courtroom so that he is not a distraction for jurors.

Kahsaithreatened to kill mom, says Crown

On Monday, the first day of the trial, court heard evidence that Kahsaihad made death threats in the days before his mother and Tran were killed.

He was arrested in Edmonton hours after the bodies were discovered. He was wearing shoes stained with both women's blood, and their DNA was also found on the floor mat of Alem's SUV and in the pocket of a pair of Kahsai's jeans.

Kahsai is charged with first-degree murder in the death of hismother and second-degree murder in the death of Tran.

Bothdied after suffering several knife wounds to their necks, face and bodies, according to prosecutors ToddBuziakand MattDalidowicz.