Friend says accused confessed to shooting

A friend of Taylor James Wolff — the man accused of the historical murder of James Carlson — says Wolff told her he shot Carlson and put his body in a well where it would never resurface.

Lindsay Reiber testified Tuesday at Wolff ’s second-degree murder trial in Saskatoon. She told court Wolff said he “dealt with James” when the man produced a sword during a confrontation at his home in Watrous, Sask., adding there was “a lot of blood.”

Wolff ’s hands were shaking and very dry — like he had chemical burn — during their conversation outside her house in Saskatoon in May 2008, Reiber said.

Carlson, a 43-year-old farm equipment mechanic, was last seen in Watrous on May 14, 2008.

His work truck and tools were discovered in a field near Allan five days later, but his body has not been found.

Wolff, 33, was charged in connection with Carlson’s death eight years later, on June 17, 2016.

Reiber and Wolff were methamphetamine users who met through the drug scene in Saskatoon, court heard. Reiber testified that during a visit prior to Wolff ’s confession, she gave him some spare bullets she found in her tool box because she knew Wolff had a .22 calibre rifle.

Police found two bullets at Carlson’s home during their initial crime scene investigation: one in the carpet and another in the wall.

Defence lawyer Brad Mitchell asked Reiber why she didn’t tell police about the bullets during her initial interviews in 2008 and 2011. Reiber said she was scared of getting in trouble.

Reiber was a paid police agent in 2013 when she gave a fuller account of what Wolff had told her.

Mitchell suggested she gave information that was based on rumours because she wanted to start a new life; Reiber said she decided to come forward with the full story because she wanted Carlson’s parents to have closure.

She told court she never met Carlson but heard Wolff refer to him many times.

Carlson and Wolff were friends, according to Tryna Painchaud, who knew both men.

She said she heard Wolff say he was going to get back at Carlson for something he did.

The conversation took place at her cousin’s apartment in Saskatoon a few months before Carlson disappeared, Painchaud testified.