Oland trial focuses on missing phone

Father’s iPhone was only thing taken from crime scene and was never found

One of the most baffling aspects of the Richard Oland murder case was the focus of attention at his son’s trial on Wednesday: What happened to the multi-millionaire’s cell phone, the only thing taken from the crime scene?

Const. Stephen Davidson, lead investigator of the Oland homicide for Saint John police, was on the stand Wednesday at Dennis Oland’s second-degree murder trial, describing the steps he took to track cell phone calls and texts in an effort to see where the missing iPhone went.

“We made test calls in the city of Saint John and in Rothesay,” Davidson told the court.

The phone, which was never found, and its last known route is key evidence for the prosecution which is continuing to lay out its case at the Oland retrial in Saint John.

This is the second trial for Dennis Oland after his jury conviction in 2015 was set aside on appeal in 2016 and the new trial ordered. It is proceeding before judge alone in the New Brunswick Court of Queen’s Bench.

When the bludgeoned body of 69-year-old Richard Oland was found on July 7, 2011, on the floor of his uptown Saint John office, the only thing missing was his iPhone. He was wearing a valuable watch, the keys to his expensive car were on the floor near the body and cash in the office was untouched - all indications to police that robbery was not a motive.

Dennis Oland, 50, an investment adviser, is the last known person to have seen his father alive. He was in his father’s office from about 5:30 p.m to 6:30 p.m. on July 6, 2011. Most of the time, the two were alone.

Oland told police that when he left the office at around 6:30 p.m., he headed back to his home in nearby Rothesay, with a stop at the local Renforth Wharf to see if his children were swimming there.

Police and prosecutors say the missing phone also was on the move at that time. The last communication received by Richard Oland’s cell was a text message at 6:44 p.m. on July 6, 2011, and it appears to have pinged off a tower in Rothesay, near the wharf.

Rogers Communications, Richard Oland’s service provider, established the iPhone’s movements through data records. Prosecutors have already told the court they intend to call a cellular network expert to testify that cell phones typically connect with the closest tower as that provides the strongest signal.