‘I heard two bangs’: Key Crown witness testifies at Moncton double-murder trial

A key witness testified at the Moncton double-murder trial on Tuesday.

A key witness in the Janson Baker double-murder trial testified Tuesday he heard a scream and then two gunshots the morning an elderly Dieppe, N.B., couple were murdered inside their home.

The court heard testimony for most of the day from Zachary Trevors, a longtime friend of Baker’s.

Baker has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 74-year-old Rose-Marie Saulnier and her husband, 78-year-old Bernard Saulnier.

The couple were shot and killed in their home on Amirault Street in Dieppe on Sept. 7, 2019.

Trevors testified Baker drove him in a Hyundai Sonata to Frederic Street in Dieppe well after midnight on the day of the murders.

The witness told the court he didn’t know why he was there.

Baker parked the car on the side of the road and asked Trevors to come with him.

Baker banged “aggressively” on the Saulniers’ door, Trevors said, but no one answered.

Crown prosecutor James McConnell asked Trevors what was going through his mind and why did he think he was there.

Trevors responded that he didn’t know, but was concerned.

The witness testified he wasn’t sure where Baker was when he entered the Saulniers’ sun room.

After a few minutes, Trevors said he went back outside to the patio and could see Baker inside.

He said he could see the accused pointing his hands in the air and yelling something along the lines of “lay on the ground” but couldn’t see anyone else.

“I think he had a gun in his hands, I guess,” said Trevors, but said he couldn’t see a gun.

Trevors told the jury he made his way back to the parked car when he heard two bangs.

“At first I heard a scream and then I heard two bangs,” said Trevors.

He said the bangs sounded like a “gunshot” to him.

McConnell asked Trevors to describe the scream.

“Someone was scared,” said Trevors.

He then sat in the car for about 15 minutes until Baker came back.

“I was a little upset. I was getting mad at him,” said Trevors. “I was angry.”

The witness said he saw the accused put a handgun under the driver’s seat of the Hyundai and the pair went back to Trevors’ home.

On the way, Trevors said he threw something out of the window.

“I believe it was a wallet,” said Trevors.

Court had already heard testimony that Rose-Marie’s wallet was found in front of a hardware store on Amirault that same day.

When the pair returned to Trevors’ place, he said they woke up the witness’ former girlfriend who took photos of Baker wearing gold chains.

The jury had previously heard testimony from another witness who said Baker stole a gold watch and a gold chain off Bernard’s body.

While the two were having a cigarette outside, Baker warned Trevors to never talk about what took place.

During cross examination, defence attorney Brian Munro asked Trevors if he was the one who killed the Saulniers.

“Did you kill them? Did you kill Rose-Marie Saulnier? Did you kill Bernard?” asked Munro.

Trevors denied killing the elderly couple, saying he was outside.

Weeks after the killings, Trevors testified Baker called him and asked him to get rid of the Hyundai, but he said he wouldn’t.

“I didn’t want anything to do with it,” said Trevors.

The Hyundai was found deserted on a Moncton street on Sept. 30, 2019.

Trevors previously spoken to police about the murders in 2022 and gave a statement.

Munro made several references to the witness’ statement and asked him if he was testifying in exchange for “favours” or “help” from the police.

“You didn’t want to be here today, did you?” asked Munro.

Trevors admitted he was concerned about his safety after speaking to police.

Munro said there was no mention of a scream in Trevors’ statement to the RCMP.

“When did you come up with that memory?” asked Munro.

During Tuesday’s testimony, Trevors said he definitely heard a scream the night of the murders.

“Kind of hard to forget,” said Trevors.

When the witness was re-examined by the Crown, McConnell asked why he told the police he didn’t hear a scream and Trevors admitted he lied.

Again, he mentioned his concerns for his well-being if he went to jail.

During Trevors’ testimony, Baker, dressed in a navy suit and tie, took notes.

Once again, there were several members of the Saulnier family and friends of the couple present in court.

The trial is expected to last until the end of March.

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