Surveillance tracked accused
Video of Justin Dumpfrey shown at his second-degree murder trial
Justin Dumpfrey’s second-degree murder trial Wednesday was focused on his movements in the days after Holly Hamilton’s death, leading up to his arrest.
This included surveillance video, which the defence concedes is Dumpfrey, taking his daughter shopping, travelling in taxis and at a shelter in Toronto. Dumpfrey was eventually arrested at the Hamilton courthouse on the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018.
Det. Andrew Coughlan, of the major crime unit, testified that he was notified by an officer Dumpfrey was at the courthouse on an unrelated matter. Not long after, Coughlan got a call from Staff Sgt. Dave Oleniuk that Hamilton’s stabbed and frozen body had been found in the trunk of her car.
Dumpfrey is alleged to have killed Hamilton — his on-again, off-again girlfriend — sometime between Jan. 14 and 15, 2018. He has pleaded not guilty.
Court has already heard they had a volatile relationship, including Dumpfrey being twice convicted of assaulting Hamilton.
Family and friends have testified she was afraid of him, but kept the peace for their daughter.
Holly went out on the evening of Jan. 14 and never returned. Her then-four-year-old daughter was abruptly dropped off on her grandparents’ doorstep the next evening. The Crown says Holly’s blood was found in Dumpfrey’s Barton Street East apartment and a number of items, including cleaning supplies and Holly’s car keys, were found in the garbage nearby. On Jan. 15, video shows Dumpfrey with his daughter inside a Rexall Pharmacy at the corner of Parkdale and Melvin avenues around 10 a.m. Then they are seen in a taxi that takes them to Walmart at the Centre on Barton, 1115 Barton St. E., where video shows them shopping for toys and a new purple jacket for his daughter. Court has already heard his daughter’s former black jacket was found with bleach stains in the garbage. More video shows the pair in a taxi that takes them to FreshCo. at 1565 Barton St. E., near Dumpfrey’s apartment, where he bought cleaning supplies and food.
Court also heard from Shannon Butler, who was the supervisor at Homes First, a shelter based out of a church basement in Scarborough back in 2018. She called police after another client recognized Dumpfrey on the news.
Dumpfrey used the name Anthony Walker when he checked in at the shelter on Jan. 16 — the day before Hamilton’s body was found.
More video shows the pair in a taxi that takes them to FreshCo. at 1565 Barton St. E., near Dumpfrey’s apartment, where he bought cleaning supplies and food