Victim was stabbed before and after death
Family members of both Jenny and Jason Mckay wept as a forensic pathologist described a range of gruesome injuries inflicted on the 33-year-old woman.
Two wounds in particular, both to her neck, were considered fatal, court heard.
Jason, 47, is on trial at Regina Court of Queen’s Bench for second-degree murder, accused of stabbing his wife to death between Sept. 5 and 6, 2017.
Dr. Thambirajah Balachandra testified via CCTV from Edmonton, providing his conclusions from the autopsy he performed on Jenny.
In total, Balachandra counted 21 stab and cut wounds — some deep and some superficial — as well as numerous bruises to Jenny’s head and other parts of her body and injuries to her hands he attributed to defensive wounds.
When Jenny was first brought into the autopsy suite, she still had a knife embedded in her chest, and Balachandra discovered the nine stab wounds to the chest were inflicted after the woman had died.
He concluded wounds to the woman’s neck were the cause of death. In total, the pathologist counted 10 stab wounds or cuts to that area — most notably one that struck the jugular vein and a large cut that showed evidence of a “to and fro movement.” Balachandra told the court he spotted bruising at the latter wound site, indicating the weapon used had been moved across Jenny’s neck “many times.”
The latter injury was considered the main cause of death, although Balachandra said the jugular wound was potentially fatal as well.
Jenny also suffered stab wounds to the abdomen and thigh.
The pathologist said it could have taken as long as five minutes for death to occur. While he believed the injuries inflicted while Jenny was alive happened at or around the time she died, he said there was no way to say when the post-mortem injuries happened.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Thomas Hynes, Balachandra said alcohol consumption did not play a role in Jenny’s death. Court previously heard both Jenny and Jason had alcohol problems at the time of the incident and that Jenny’s blood-alcohol at death was measured at more than three times the legal driving limit.
Balachandra was the final Crown witness. Hynes has not yet said whether or not he will call evidence on his client’s behalf.
Court previously heard police were called in the early morning of Sept. 6, 2017 to the couple’s home at 207 Angus St., expecting to do a welfare check on Jason as his mother was worried he might be suicidal. Police officers testified they were shocked to find Jason covered in blood and Jenny lying dead on the blood-soaked kitchen floor.
The majority of Jason’s dealings with police are subject to voir dire, or a trial within a trial, intended to allow a judge to weigh which evidence will be admissible at trial. Among details in contention are a variety of comments Jason was heard making to police and statements Jenny reportedly made to others in which she said she was trying to escape an abusive marriage.
Court has also heard evidence of 911 calls made by Jenny in the days leading to her death, in which she told the operator Jason would kill her. Meanwhile, Hynes questioned witnesses on Jenny’s behaviour when drinking and an assault with a weapon charge once laid against her with Jason named as the complainant.
Hynes and Crown prosecutor Adam Breker argued one of the voir dire issues on Thursday and are expected to argue the others on Monday. Justice Michael Tochor said he expects to reserve his decision to either Wednesday or Thursday on what evidence he will allow into the trial proper.