Howard Richmond only recalled killing wife 9 months later, court hears

It took Canadian soldier Howard Richmond nine months to realize he stabbed his wife to death because he was suffering from traumatic amnesia, a forensic psychologist testified at Richmond's first-degree murder trial.

Charles Ewing testified it was only after he asked Richmond to recall sounds,smells and sensations in April 2014 thatthe soldier remembered for the first time that he killed his wifein a steep ravine next to the South Keys ShoppingCentre in July 2013.

Ewing said Richmond was emotional as he told him, "I stabbed her. I don't know whybut, oh my God, I did it."

Richmond, 53, admitted during his trial that he killed 28-year-old Melissa Richmond but has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. His lawyers have argued he is not criminally responsible because he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and dissociative flashbacks caused by six tours of duty.

Crown prosecutor Suzanne Schreikchallenged Ewing's assessment, arguing it was surprising that Richmond all of a sudden remembered stabbing his wife in a"eureka moment."

Ewing responded that Richmond came to the realization in agradual unravelling of memories. He said it was not a "eureka moment," adding that Eureka is the college that former U.S. presidentRonald Reagan attended.

Defence rests case

Schreik also askedEwing how Richmond could have been in adissociative state if he was able to drive more than 40 kilometres from the shopping centre to his home in Winchester, Ont., after the killing and research PTSD online.

Ewing said he could not determinewhen Richmondsnapped out of hisdissociative state.

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

The court also previously heard that police found a knife and screwdriver, which had beenwrapped in bloody clothes, wedged between the ceiling rafters and the furnace duct in the basement of the Richmonds' home.

Ewingagreed with Schreikthathiding the clothes and weaponsshowed some conscious level of guilt.

Ewing was the defence's final witness before resting its case. The Crown is expected to call another experton Thursday to challenge Ewing's testimony.