Rural firepit focus of trial testimony

Triple-murder trial of Saretzky continues

Day 10 of the Derek Saretzky triple-murder trial focused on the contents of a rural firepit where Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette’s body was destroyed. Saretzky is on trial for the 2015 Blairmore murders of Terry Blanchette and his daughter, two-year-old Dunbar-Blanchette, and the Coleman murder of 69-year-old Hanne Meketech.

Note: Story contains very graphic content, possibly disturbing to some readers.

RCMP Const. Christopher Girard was a member of the Airdrie RCMP on Sept. 15, 2015 when he was called to help with the Blanchette murder and (at that time) Dunbar-Blanchette abduction.

Girard said he was approached by Shane Koinberg, who told Girard he had found “something weird” at a rural campsite partially owned by his family. Koinberg is the cousin of Saretzky.

Girard and another officer were told to take initial photographs of the scene and followed Koinberg and his girlfriend to the site.

Girard testified he took photos of the firepit, which included what appeared to be a bone protruding from debris. He also took photographs of prominent tire treads in the vicinity of the campsite. At the time, Koinberg told Girard the tire prints did not belong to him, his mother, or his aunt.

Sgt. David Westin photographed the evidence at the campsite and said a tent was erected around the firepit in order to protect it from the elements, as well as keep media from recording the scene from a helicopter.

Police found the firepit still burning when they arrived to investigate the site. Westin said officers carefully added water in order to extinguish the fire but preserve the items.

“We wanted to protect the evidence, which was very fragile,” he said. “So we had to use a limited amount of water.”

Initially, police used a grill found on-site to begin sifting through the material in the fire. Later, additional screens were used to further sort the material.

“We spent most of three days sifting,” Westin said.

“It was quite hot when we were gathering exhibits.”

Material collected was sorted on a nearby picnic table while officers waited for an exhibit handler.

Debris from the table included the remains of books, bits of glass and metal, remnants of a pair of jeans, and what appeared to be some type of work boot or hiking boot.

Police also gathered a number of small, delicate tooth and bone fragments.

“If you were to put weight on them, it would crush them to powder,” said Westin.

The fire contained the burnt remains of a hatchet, a “box-cutter” utility knife, and a smooth, singleedged blade. A fork, the remains of a spoon, a folding knife, and a “curved knife blade,” similar to a hook knife blade, were found in the firepit as well.

Bluestar, a blood-illuminating reagent, was used in the area and blood was found on a child’s toy as well as on the grass near the fire.

Blood was found on four swabs taken of a metal pot at the scene.

Police made casts of the prominent tire prints and photographed them extensively.

RCMP also made careful note of the distances travelled as well as driving times.

Const. James McConnell was the videographer for Saretzky’s reenactment. He recorded mileage and travel times from Saretzky’s home to the Blanchette home, and then on to the rural site. As part of his testimony, he walked the jury through that video, noting times and places he had stopped during the original recording.

The trial continues today, when Cheyenne Dunbar, Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette’s mother, is expected to testify.