Howard Richmond denied killing wife after confronted with her affair

Canadian soldier Howard Richmond never admitted to killing his wife during an intense interrogation even after he was confronted with evidence of her affair, his first-degree murder trial heard Friday.

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The interrogation, which lasted more than seven hours, came four days after the body of 28-year-old Melissa Richmond was found stabbed to death near South Keys Shopping Centre in July 2013. It was also the day of her wake in Petawawa, Ont.

Det.Steve Coburntold Howard Richmond during the interrogation, played in court on Friday, that his integrity "as a man and a soldier" would mean nothing if he didn't tell the truth, but the veteran maintained he could not admit to something he didn't do.

At the outset of his trial in September, Howard Richmond, now 53, admitted he killed his wife but his defence team has argued heis not criminally responsible because he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after six tours of duty.

His lawyers have argued he had no immediate memory of the killing because he wasexperiencing dissociative flashbacks at the time.

Richmond denies affair prompted killing

Court has previously heard that Melissa Richmond was having an affair and had planned to leave her husband days before she was killed.

"No act justifies that kind of violence," Howard Richmond said during the interrogation after being confronted with a video in whichJeff Thornton admitted he had an affair with Melissa Richmond.

No act justifies that kind of violence.- Howard Richmond

"The affair made you so mad you tracked her down, confronted her, tortured her and killed her," Benson told him.

"No," Richmond responded. After a pause he added, "Fine, okay, I want a lawyer."

Det.Mike Redmond, a former Canadian solider, also questioned Richmond during the interrogation.The pair discussed conditions in Croatia where they both served but at no point did Richmond confess.

Court also heard police did not want to allow Richmond to go to his wife's wake because they believed he killed her.

He was charged with murder that day.