Expert at murder trial retraces victim’s last steps

FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – A police blood-spatter expert has retraced the final, terrifying steps of an elderly man who was murdered and decapitated in his small New Brunswick home.

RCMP Staff Sgt. Alain Richard testified Friday at the double-murder trial of Gregory Despres, recounting a tale written in blood as 74-year-old victim Fred Fulton raced from room to room in what must have been a frantic effort to save his life.

Despres, 25, is on trial for the first-degree murders of Fulton and 70-year-old Verna Decarie in their Minto home in April 2005. Crown prosecutors have wrapped up their case against Despres, and proceedings have been adjourned until Jan. 28.

Despres used to live next door to the couple. Both Fulton and Decarie were stabbed more than 30 times and Fulton’s severed head was found in a pillowcase under the kitchen table.

Decarie’s body was found next to the bed in the master bedroom.

Richard told the court that Fulton’s blood was found in almost every room of the small house.

He said blood on the back porch indicated Fulton made it outside the house at one point during the attack. Fulton must have been heading for the back stairs and possible freedom when he was caught by his attacker and hauled back inside to his death.

“Mr. Fulton was dragged across the floor of the porch and into the kitchen,” Richard told the court, referring to drag marks in blood on the enclosed porch. Fulton’s decapitated corpse was found on the kitchen floor.

Richard also told the court that, at one point, Fulton was in the small bathroom with his back pressing against the door and his feet propped against the tub – suggesting an effort to keep the door from being opened.

The RCMP officer testified that Fulton’s blood was spattered on walls, furniture and on clothing taken from Despres.

Richard said he couldn’t speculate as to how long the attack lasted.

Despres is going through his second trial for the gruesome murders. The first trial, held in January and February, came to a halt when concerns arose about Despres’ mental fitness.

He had several delusional outbursts during the first trial, claiming at times to be affiliated with groups including the Hell’s Angels and something he called “the super space patrol.”

He was deemed unfit to stand trial in April only to be found fit by a review board in July, leading to the new trial.

Despres was arrested in Massachusetts on April 26, 2005, shortly after the bodies were found.

He had been allowed to enter the United States a day earlier at Calais, Maine, even though he was carrying a homemade sword, brass knuckles, a knife, pepper spray, chain saw and a hatchet.

U.S. border authorities took the weapons and fingerprinted Despres, a naturalized U.S. citizen, but let him into the country even though he told them he was a marine sniper and an assassin with 700 kills to his credit.

Despres has been quiet throughout his second trial and appeared to doze off several times during testimony Friday.