RCMP members testify during double-murder trial in Moncton

RCMP officers testified at the double-murder trial in Moncton.

The Janson Baker double-murder trial began Thursday morning in Moncton with the cross-examination of a police officer who worked on the investigation from the beginning.

Baker has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Dieppe, N.B., couple Rose-Maire and Bernard Saulnier, who were shot and killed inside their home on Sept. 7, 2019.

Defence attorney Brian Munro asked Const. Michel Martel of the Codiac Regional RCMP about his involvement in the investigation.

He asked him for specific details about a meeting with Sylvio Saulnier, son of Rose-Marie and Bernard.

“I spoke to Sylvio Saulnier, yes,” said Martel.

Munro said the meeting took place on Sept. 15, 2020 at Regional Addiction Services in Campbellton.

“Did you talk about jewelry while you were in that meeting?” asked Munro.

Martel said he spoke to Sylvio in limited ways.

“Sylvio Saulnier spoke about a chain,” said Martel.

The jury previously heard testimony from a Crown witness who said Baker admitted to him he broke into the Saulniers’ home and shot and killed the couple.

The witness also testified that Baker told him he stole a gold watch and a gold chain from Bernard’s body.

Due to a publication ban, the witness can not be identified.

Martel was also asked by Munro if he investigated the case of Brady Sherman-Tompkins, who disappeared on Aug. 29, 2019, 10 days before the murders.

In late 2022, the RCMP said Tompkins’ disappearance was being investigated as a homicide after police received new information about the case.

The 25-year-old had been living in the Moncton area at the time of his disappearance.

In the afternoon session, RCMP Cst. Lindsay Ralph testified she attended the autopsies of Bernard and Rose-Marie in Saint John as an exhibit custodian.

As part of the investigation, she was tasked with watching surveillance video of vehicles in Dieppe the morning of the murders.

“I reviewed approximately 80 hours of video,” said Ralph.

She was told to look for a silver Hyundai Sonata and said she saw a car that matched the description during her surveillance.

An abandoned silver Hyundai Sonata was found in a Moncton neighbourhood on Sept. 30, 2019, a little over three weeks after the murders.

Munro also asked her about three meetings with Sylvio Saulnier and what was discussed.

Sylvio Saulnier died in 2023, but foul play was not a factor in his death.

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