Sneakers seized from 2 Saint John men test positive for victim's blood

Justin Breau's girlfriend returned to the stand on Day 5 of the first-degree murder trial of Charles Shatford and Donald Walker.

But Megan Ross's testimony didn't last long before she and the jury were asked to leave the courtroom on Friday morning.

Legal discussions continued in their absence for most of the morning the details of which are protected by a publication ban.

For the second day in a row, Ross told different accounts of what happened on Aug. 17, 2022.

In one account, she said she was making supper when three masked men burst into their Charles Street apartment. In another, she said she was sitting in the living room.

There were also discrepancies about how long Breau had been out of jail when he was killed, what their address was, and what description she provided to police within an hour of the incident.

Crown tries to help refresh memory

Ross was given the chance to refresh her memory with a transcript of her original interview with a police investigator and by watching a video of it but she told the court on Friday that she still doesn't remember.

She said she doesn't even remember talking to a police officer or going to the hospital.

Ross testified that she doesn't remember anything about the clothing, masks or height of any of the intruders.

Crown prosecutor Joanne Park asked Ross why she can't remember any of the details.

"Because it was a moment of shock," Ross responded.

"I was scared. My boyfriend just got murdered."

Park asked Ross if she recognized any of the people who stabbed Breau.

"I did not recognize them," she said.

DNA details

On Friday afternoon, the jury also heard from a DNA expert about samples that were taken from sneakers seized from Shatford and Walker and sent to the police crime lab for analysis.

Marc Lett said blood samples on both pairs of sneakers matched Breau's DNA.

He said the estimated probability of selecting an unrelated individual at random from the Canadian Caucasian population with the same DNA profile is one in 2.4 sextillion a sextillion is a one followed by 21 zeros.

The final witness on Friday afternoon was Chris Reid, who described himself as "acquaintances at best" with Walker. He said he's known Walker for years and believes he met him in jail.

He said he knew of Breau,but had never met him,and was unhappy about online postshe said Breau made about his late father.

Text messages previously read out in court described a conflict between Breau and Reid and his former girlfriend, although under cross-examination by Walker's defence lawyer, Angle Normand, Reid denied he had a "beef" with Breau.

Reid told the court that he received a phone call from Walker on the afternoon of Aug. 17, 2022, asking him to help Walker beat someone up.

While he couldn't recall in court whether Walker mentioned Breau's name, he acknowledged that he told police at the time that Walker had named Breau.

Reid said he was working and declined Walker's request.

After five days, the trial has heard from 18 witnesses. It will resume Monday morning.