Defence presents videos taken by Matthew Raymond in the months before the shooting - Action News
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New Brunswick

Defence presents videos taken by Matthew Raymond in the months before the shooting

In the first few days of moving into an apartment from whichhe shot and killed four people, Matthew Raymond frantically looked for something.

Raymond is charged with four counts of first-degree murder

A collage of four people
Victims of the shooting from left to right: Constables Robb Costello, 45, and Sara Burns, 43, Donnie Robichaud, 42, and Bobbie Lee Wright, 32. (CBC)

In the first few days of moving into an apartment from whichhe shot and killed four people, Matthew Raymond frantically looked for something.

He filmed himself going through the cupboards,still-unpacked totes and bags, saying "It's not in here, it's not in here," from behind the camera.

It was not clear from the video what Raymond was looking for, but as he went through a grey backpack on the floor of the bedroom, he uses profanity to express his frustration and sayssomeone has been in his apartment and taken things.

The video, taken in early May, ends there. Three months later,Raymond shot and killed Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright, then Fredericton constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello when they responded to a call of shots fired at 237 Brookside Dr. on Aug. 10, 2018.

This was one of dozens of videos and hundreds of photos the defence has been presenting to try to illustrate Raymond's mental state in the months before the shooting. Another video taken on the same day shows him complaining of the sticky floor and dirt, left behind by someone he saysmight have broken into his apartment to steal his things.

The 50-year-old has admitted to the killing but pleaded not guilty. His defence lawyers are arguing he was not criminally responsible on account of mental illness. The Crown and defence agree Raymond had a mental illness at the time of the shooting. Dr. Ralph Holly testified Friday hediagnosed Raymond with schizophrenia.

Now in the sixthweek of the trial, the defence is continuing to present evidence through team member Alex Pate. He examined tens of thousands of photos and videos found on Raymond's hard drives. On Tuesday afternoon, he presented videos taken by Raymond in May, June and July of 2018, the months before the shooting.

The jury in the Matthew Raymond trial was shown multiple screenshots with mathematical calculations written on them using a computer program. (Submitted by Court of Queen's Bench)

Some GoPro videos show Raymond feeding squirrels and interacting with ducks, seagulls, raccoons and insects.

Others showRaymond shirtless in his room, repeatedly calling a cellphone provider and listening to the automated message stating the balance on the account. In a whispered tone, Raymond does calculations with the number under his breath.

In June of 2018, he filmed a rainstorm, exclaiming at the loud cracks of thunder.

"I know what it is, though," he said, "They're fooling with the weather."

In the past days Pate testified about finding thousands of images and videos related to flat-earth, demonic and Masonic conspiracy theories. He also found materials related to "chemtrails," a long-debunked conspiracy theory that an entity is poisoning the air and controlling the weather.

In the video of the rainstorm, after a second loud roll of thunder,Raymond exclaims again.

"That's not normal," he said. "God the Father is very angry."

The court previously heard Raymond downloaded many videos by a YouTube conspiracy theorist who calls himself Rob Lee. In multiplevideos, the narrator warns that "demons are among us," and they could be powerful famous people, or "the waitress down the street." He says the demons are out to hurt people and the only way to protect oneself from them is believing in "God the Father." However, the narrator also sows doubt in churches, saying they're controlled by demons.

Raymond also made YouTube videos himself, and in the video description or comments, shares similar ideas. In those comments, he says he can see demons and identify them online and in the real world.

The view from a window in Matthew Raymond's apartment, looking out on the parking lot where the victims were found. A bullet trajectory expert testified this is where Raymond shot and killed four people. (Submitted by Court of Queen's Bench)

The defence has also presented evidence of Raymond makingcalculations using the numbers 33 and 666 to identify demons.

In the summer months of 2018, Raymond also filmed his screen as he went through several Rob Lee channels, focusing the camera on the subscriber count,and numbers of likes and dislikeson certain videos.

A video taken by Raymond in May shows move-in day at 237 Brookside Dr.

Raymond hugs a teen, and jokes with people moving furniture out of the moving truck.

"Say hi," Raymond says to one man in the moving truck.

The man puts up a rock-onsign and says "oop" and quickly changes it to a wave.

The court has previouslyseen Raymond identifying evil people by the "devil horn" sign they're making with their hands.

The Crown and defence have agreed Raymond had a mental illness at the time of the shooting.

The agreement means that to get a not-guilty verdict, the defence must prove to the jury, on a balance of probabilities, that Raymond's mental illness either stopped him from knowing the nature and consequences of his actions, or knowing what he was doing was wrong.

Last week, Pate's testimony painted a picture of a man whose interest in biking and video games waned as he started viewing and downloading moreanti-Muslim, transphobicand occult material starting in 2017.