Emotional moment as murder trial hears how MacKenzie died
Joanne MacKenzie’s mother had to be comforted by her sister as jurors heard how MacKenzie died from a lethal stab wound to the neck.
“This is fatal. It caused rapid death by bleeding,” Ontario chief pathologist Dr. Michael Pollanen testified on Thursday as Robert McGregor’s murder trial continued in the Superior Court of Justice in Oshawa.
“It completely transacted one of the arteries in the neck.”
McGregor is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of MacKenzie, his ex-common law partner, in the summer of 2011.
The 23-year-old went missing July 2, 2011, and her body was found four days later in a shallow grave about 230 metres from McGregor’s Lakefield home.
MacKenzie was discovered with 15 stab wounds, including injuries on her back, arms and neck, and her throat had been cut.
It’s the prosecution’s theory that McGregor killed the mother of their child because they were in a custody battle for their then five-year-old daughter.
On Thursday, McGregor’s trial entered its 12th day of evidence with chief pathologist Pollanen on the stand.
Pollanen, the prosecution’s final witness, told the jury about each of MacKenzie’s 16 wounds, including 15 stab wounds, and one cut. The doctor testified that MacKenzie suffered one stab wound to the hand, four to the arm, three to the back, four to the chest, and three to the neck. She also had a cut on her neck, according to Pollanen.
“This stab wound resulted in numerous blood loss,” Pollanen said, adding he couldn’t imagine a circumstance she could have survived the lethal stab wound.
“That would be very difficult to treat.”
The jurors also learned that some wounds didn’t show signs of bleeding. Pollanen attributed that to two possible reasons. MacKenzie was either stabbed after she died or while the victim was in a state of shock.
However, he couldn’t be certain MacKenzie was stabbed after she died. Further, the doctor testified the weapon was sharp and pointed, and had all the features of a knife.
“It appears to be single edge,” he explained.
During cross-examination, Pollanen was asked if the weapon could have been a pocket knife. He said it was possible but he simply didn’t know.
He also agreed it was possible that some of wounds to her arms and bruising to her legs could have been caused during a struggle or fight while MacKenzie was on her back.
“I simply don’t know,” he explained.
The murder trial resumes on Tuesday.