Little evidence linking Bonnell to Hilary, defence argues

Curtis Bonnell's defence lawyer grilled RCMP officers Monday about what evidence they had linking his client to the disappearance and subsequent deathof Hilary Bonnell.

Bonnell, 32, of the Esgenoopetitj First Nation, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Hilary, his 16-year-old first cousin.

But Bonnell's lawyer, Gilles Lemieux, stressed during his cross-examination of Cpl. Ren Labb how little direct evidence police have against him.

Labb agreed that early on in the investigation, RCMP had no body, no crime scene and no physical evidence connecting Bonnell to the case.

But he also told the jury about the day Bonnell led police to Hilary's body, which was buried in an isolated wooded area near Tabusintac.

Labbtestifiedhe remembered Bonnell saying, "You walk on her."

The Crown alleges Bonnell picked up Hilary on Sept. 5, 2009, 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.

Bonnell and Hilary were both captured onvideotape surveillanceat the 4D convenience store the day Hilary went missing. They showed up on camera just minutes apart.

Lemieux questioned Const. Gabriel Deveau about whatevidence police have putting the twotogether after Hilary was seen at the store.

The video shows them going in opposite directions when they left Hilary toward Micmac Road and Bonnell toward Highway 11.

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

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

The pathologist who conducted the autopsy was unable to determineHilary's exact cause of death, but concluded the probable cause of death was asphyxia.

A forensic specialist found no useful DNA linking Bonnell to Hilary.

The trial started on Sept. 17 and is scheduled to last up to eight weeks.

It wasadjourned much oflast week becauseLemieux had laryngitis.