Lead investigator testifies in Behchokǫ̀ murder trial

The lead investigator in the 2023 murder of Deijean Drybones in Behchokǫ̀ says police never recovered the weapon used.

Cpl Greg Morrow testified in NWT Supreme Court on Tuesday in the jury trial of Zakk Lafferty.

Lafferty, 26, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Deijean.

The jury previously heard RCMP had located Deijean with serious injuries at a home in Behchokǫ̀ early on the morning of August 4, 2023.

Deijean was taken to the local health centre and then Stanton Territorial Hospital in Yellowknife, where he was declared deceased shortly before 6am.

In his opening statement last week, Crown prosecutor Brendan Green told the jury Deijean had died of a single stab wound to the chest.

On Tuesday, Morrow testified that on August 5, 2023, RCMP officers thoroughly searched in and around the home where Deijean was found, including with a service dog. He said police recovered several cell phones inside the home and an empty vodka bottle in the bushes outside, but did not find a weapon.

According to an agreed statement of facts, one of the phones located in the home belonged to Lafferty.

DNA testing of a blood swab taken from the light switch in the room where Deijean was located, as well as a drop of blood on the outside steps of the home, both matched Deijean.

Morrow said he decided to arrest Lafferty after hearing an audio recording taken by another officer in which Deijean could be heard saying he had been stabbed by Lafferty.

RCMP arrested Lafferty at the Behchokǫ̀ health centre shortly after 11am on August 4, 2023. He had gone to the health centre for treatment for three lacerations around his right eye, which he had sustained during a fight.

Excerpts of a transcript from a separate RCMP audio recording indicate Lafferty said he had been “roughed up” by three people the previous night, who took his phone, alcohol and money.

DNA testing of the T-shirt Lafferty had been wearing, as well as swabs of both of his hands, did not match Deijean. Police did not obtain a DNA profile from Lafferty for comparison.

Morrow testified he did not get a sample of Lafferty’s DNA as he was aware Lafferty had been bleeding from his face and assumed the blood on his shirt could be his.

Morrow further testified that officers searched Lafferty’s home on August 9, 2023 but did not recover any evidence.

He decided to wait several days before searching Lafferty’s home, Morrow explained, as Lafferty was in custody and police were waiting for Deijean’s autopsy to learn more about his wounds and the potential weapon used. The autopsy was conducted in Edmonton on August 9.

Morrow added that Lafferty lived with elderly family members and the officer did not believe they knew about the specific details of Deijean’s death and the weapon used.

Weighing the risks to any potential evidence in Lafferty’s house, Morrow said he did not believe removing elderly people from their home between August 5 and 9 was necessary, particularly as they had just returned to the community from a wildfire evacuation.

Crown prosecutor Green and defence lawyer Kim Arial are expected to give closing arguments in the case this week.

Justice David Gates said he anticipates the jury will begin deliberations on Thursday.