The second-degree murder trial of Dennis Oland has heard from its first witness.
Oland is charged with second-degree murder in the 2011 death of his father, Richard.
Maureen Adamson, his former secretary, took to the stand on Wednesday afternoon.
She worked at Richard’s investment firm, Far End Corporation, located on the second floor of 52 Canterbury Street.
Adamson being shown a photo of 52 Canterbury Street. She says Far End Corporation was located on the second floor of the building.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) November 21, 2018
Adamson testified she last saw Richard when she was leaving the uptown Saint John office around 5:45 p.m. on July 6, 2011.
She said Dennis arrived to see Richard shortly before she left and the two began chatting about a family tree.
Adamson said she arrived at the office between 8:45 a.m. and 9 a.m. on July 7, 2011, and found the building’s front door unlocked, adding this was not unusual because people sometimes arrived before her.
“There was a terrible, terrible vile odour that hit me when I walked in that hallway,” Adamson says.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) November 21, 2018
As she approached Richard’s second-floor office, Adamson said she smelled a “terrible vile odour” in the hallway and noticed the office door was not completely shut.
Adamson said she could “see these legs” on the floor and ran to the business downstairs — Printing Plus — to get help.
Prosecutors have said Oland suffered 45 sharp and blunt force blows to his head, neck and hands.
Court had adjourned for the day. Crown will finish its examination of Adamson on Thursday morning.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) November 21, 2018
