‘Are you threatening me’: Murder victim’s daughter heard arguing before fatal shooting

On the day Natasha Thompson was murdered, a jury heard she was leaving Mark Champagne and told him she was getting an abortion before being shot 10 times on a neighbour's doorstep.

Thompson's then 16-year-old daughter Hana testified she heard parts of the argument between Thompson and Champagne inside, then outside their townhome at 15 Lang St.

Are you threatening me?" was the last thing Hana, now 20, testified she recalled her mother saying before hearing loud bangs.

Friday was the start of Champagne's jury trial for second-degree murder in the shooting death of 37-year-old Thompson on Nov. 6, 2017.

After the bangs, Hana told court she looked out her bedroom window and saw Champagne, wearing a white skull-patterned hooded sweater and a green jacket, running west toward Reid Avenue South. Nobody else was there, she said. Downstairs, the front door was still open. She found her mom lying on the next-door neighbour's front step.

I was just staring at her crying," she said, recalling the horrific day nearly four years ago.

For part of her evidence, the prosecution played Hana's interview with then Det. Catherine Lockley. At one point, Lockley left the room to get a map and while she was gone, Hana began to cry. Stay strong, stay strong it's OK," she said quietly to herself.

In the witness box Friday, Hana sat tall and spoke clearly as she identified Champagne sitting just meters away at the defence table. He is representing himself, with the assistance of a lawyer appointed amicus curiae - a friend of the court."

Hana told the jury her mother and Champagne began dating about five months before the murder and he moved into their home about a month into the relationship. Within a week they were arguing daily, she said, always about other men and Champagne accusing her of being unfaithful.

Natasha was trapped" in the house, Hana said. She wasn't allowed to see her friends or even go to the corner store alone. Champagne took her phone away from her, she said.

One time when Natasha left after an argument Champagne smashed items in the house while Hana was at home, she said.

Three days before the murder, her mother told Hana she was pregnant and they talked openly in front of Champagne about her getting an abortion.

On Nov. 6, Hana came home around 3:40 p.m. and the house was quiet. She went straight to her room. Arguing began about five minutes later, she said.

Natasha came into her room to borrow Hana's phone to check how much money was on her credit card, Hana said. Champagne followed and told Natasha to tell her daughter the truth."

She already knows I'm getting an abortion," Hana recalled her mother replying. Natasha told her the relationship was over.

About 10 minutes later, Champagne came back into Hana's room and said something like: don't sell drugs and be a rat." Hana didn't understand what he meant.

Hana heard them yelling again, he was calling her mother vulgar names and swearing, she said. The argument moved outside. Hana was tired and almost asleep on her bed when she heard the loud bangs.

Champagne owned a gun that he would often carry tucked in his pants, she said.

Hamilton police found the alleged murder weapon in some bushes on Main Street more than two weeks after the shooting.

Court also heard Friday from retired Const. Stephen Whitaker, who was the first Hamilton police officer to arrive on scene at 5:17 that night. He described rolling Natasha over and seeing bullet holes in her body and in the front door of 17 Lang.

The trial continues Wednesday.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com