Bonnell led police to Hilarys body, hoping for answers

Curtis Bonnell testified Tuesday that he ledRCMP to where Hilary Bonnell's body was buried because he didn't know how she died.

He thought police would be able to tell him what had happened, he said.

Bonnell, 32, of the Esgenoopetitj First Nation, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Hilary, his 16-year-old first cousin. He has pleaded not guilty.

On Monday, Bonnell told the juryhe had buried Hilary in the remote wooded area near Tabusintac. But he said he didn't know what had happened to her.

Bonnell saidhe woke up in his truck on Sept. 5, 2009, after a night of heavy drinking and drugging, to find Hilary's body slumped over in his passenger seat.

He said he couldn't remember much of the night before because he had been blacking out, and when he found her, he panicked. Heleft her body in the wooded area, then returned later to bury her, he said.

Bonnell took police toher shallow grave site on Nov. 9, a day after he was arrested on a separate matter.

On Tuesday, he repeated several times throughout his testimony thathe led police there because he wanted some answers. He also did it because he hurt his family, he said.

Earlier this month, the jury watched a police video where Bonnelladmitted to RCMPthat he had killed Hilary in his backyard after they had sex.

Bonnell told police they had fought because Hilary wanted $100 in exchange for the sex and he refused. He said he covered her mouth to stop her from yelling and before he knew it, she was dead.

The Crown alleges Bonnell picked up Hilary the day she went missing, as she was walking along Micmac Road in the province's northeastern community after a party.

Bonnell is accused of holding Hilary against her will, sexually assaulting her and killing her.

The trial started on Sept. 17 and is scheduled to last up to eight weeks. The defence began presenting its case on Oct. 23.