N.B. murder victim fought attacker before final blow, pathologist testifies at trial

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – The doctor who performed autopsies on an elderly New Brunswick couple found murdered in their home says 74-year-old Fred Fulton appears to have put up a fight before he was decapitated.

Dr. Ken Obenson said Friday multiple wounds were found on both Fulton’s body and that of his 70-year-old wife, Verna Decarie, that were made with a sharp instrument, although he could not say exactly what kind of object was used to kill them.

Obenson, a forensic pathologist from Saint John, was testifying at the first-degree murder trial of Gregory Despres, 24, who is charged with killing Fulton and Decarie in their Minto home in April 2005.

He said Fulton had wounds on his hands, indicating that he grabbed at the murder weapon and tried to fend off the killer. He also had injuries on his feet, suggesting he kicked at the killer.

Although there were 31 wounds on Fulton’s body, including deep injuries to his chest, Obenson told the court he believes the cause of death was “sharp force trauma to the neck with decapitation.”

“On the balance of probabilities, the injuries to the trunk would not have been immediately lethal,” he said.

Despres is a former neighbor of Fulton and Decarie.

Small and slightly built with a shock of dark hair standing straight up from his head, Despres has sat quietly throughout the first week of testimony.

His trial, before judge alone, is expected to last another two weeks.

Mike Richardson, Fulton’s nephew and spokesman for the victims’ relatives, said the family has found the first five days draining, especially viewing the crime scene video, which showed Fulton’s decapitated body and his severed head.

“I think everbody’s mentally tired and just drained from what they’ve learned in the first five days of the trial,” Richardson said outside the courtroom.

“I think we’re all going to just relax and kind of keep our friend Verna in our memories and we’ll be back here fresh Monday morning.”

There were 30 wounds on Decarie’s body. Obenson said she died as a result of massive blood loss.

Police found a dagger on the floor of the couple’s home after the murder, but so far, no one has identified a murder weapon.

Despres was arrested in Massachusetts.

A number of items were confiscated from Despres when he crossed the border from New Brunswick into Calais, Maine, on April 25, 2005 – the day before the bodies were found.

The items included a chain saw, a homemade sword, a hatchet, a knife and brass knuckles.

One of the witnesses at the trial told the court that before Despres crossed into the United States, he admitted to him that he had just killed someone.

Edward Young told the court he was heading to the United States with friends for a vacation on April 25, 2005, when he was detained at the Calais border crossing.

While he was there, he said, he spoke briefly to Despres who also had been stopped by border guards.

He said Despres described himself as an “assassin.” He said Despres told him he had just finished “a job” in Canada and was on his way home.

The Despres case made international headlines when it was revealed that U.S. border guards had allowed him into the United States.

U.S. border officials are scheduled to testify beginning on Monday.