Winnipeg man killed over drug debt, stuffed in barrel

A Winnipeg courtroom hearddetails on Monday about the murder of Chad Davis, whose body was found stuffed in a barrel and floating in a river.

The remains of Davis, 22, werefound wrapped in industrial-style plastic inside thebarrel that surfaced on the Lee River northeast of Winnipeg, near LacduBonnet,in July 2008.

He had been reported missing nearly six months earlier after being last seen on Prince Rupert Avenue in Winnipeg's EastKildonanarea.

• Men to stand trial in body-in-barrel slaying

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Brenda Keyser is hearing the case and a jury of sixmen and six women will decide the fate of the two men,who both had calm, neutral looks on their faces throughout the first day of testimony.

As the trial got underway, Crown prosecutors KeithEyriksonand Brent Davidsonalleged that Daviswas a cocaine dealer and trying to collect on an$18,000 to $28,000drug debt owed to him byTymchyshyn.

On Monday afternoon, RCMP Cpl. Maria Forester told the court about the state of Davis's remains after they were found in the barrel.

Davis had a black cord around his neck, Forester testified, adding that he was wearing a black jacket with a Versace label and a ball cap with a rhinoceros on it.

Two men out fixing a dock in cottage country discovered Daviss remains.

They told CBC News at the time that the barrel had been floating in the Lee River for a couple of weeks before they decided to retrieve it and pry it open.

After making the horrific discovery, they immediately called RCMP.

The trial is expected to last up to six weeks.