Michel Pilon strangled to death but wrists bound post-mortem: forensic pathologist
The crime scene photos depicted a small bachelor apartment littered with clothes, garbage and drug paraphernalia.
The only space absent of clutter was the bathroom: that's where five-foot-three, 97-pound Michel Pilon lay dead, the 53-year old on the floor next to the toilet, bound with shoelaces and an electrical cord that were tied to an accessibility support bar on the wall.
Monday was day two in the trial unravelling what happened to Pilon on Nov. 30, 2018, at his home on Melvin Avenue, near Parkdale Avenue North and Barton Street East.
George Opassinis is facing charges of second-degree murder. The Crown has told the jury that Opassinis had been staying with Pilon.
The mess in the apartment made it difficult to search for evidence prior to removing the victim, testified forensic identification officer Ken Kaija.
One of the most difficult (homicide) scenes I've ever worked," said Kaija, a 19-year veteran on the Hamilton Police Service.
In questions to Sgt. Steve Lassaline, the first police officer on the scene, Opassinis's lawyer, Barry Fox, suggested the apartment had been ransacked," as though someone was looking for drugs or money."
A forensic pathologist testified that Pilon suffered numerous abrasions to his face and arms, and the cause of death was external neck compression" caused by a shoelace wrapped so tight it left a red mark encircling Pilon's neck.
Colloquially, choking ... strangulation," said Dr. Kristopher Cunningham.
Cunningham emphasized that the red colour of the markings proves that Pilon was strangled while he was still alive, with his heart pumping blood - in contrast to a ligature indentation mark on Pilon's left wrist, where there was no redness.
He also testified that Pilon lay dead anywhere between six and 36 hours before first responders arrived.
The trial continues Tuesday.
Jon Wells is a Hamilton-based reporter and feature writer for The Spectator. Reach him via email: jwells@thespec.com