Court hears audio testimony from key witness in manslaughter case — who's no longer alive

A central witness in the trial for three people accused in the shooting death of 27-year-old Scotty Pate died last November.

On Wednesday, court heard the audio recording of Chris McNeil’s testimony from the preliminary trial.

McNeil testified that he was with the three accused, Denny Doucet, 40, Nicole Moyer, 35, of London, and Jason Sylvestre, 36, of Windsor, on the night that Pate died.

In the agreed statement of facts, the court has heard that Pate died from a gunshot wound. He was shot inside of a car, and left on the side of the road on Ashland Avenue.

McNeil testified that on the day of Pate's death, he was asked by Sylvestre if he wanted to help him rob Pate, but he refused. He added that Moyer said she’d drive, and Doucet was there too.

On that same night McNeil got a call from panicked Sylvestre who said, “Something went wrong.”

McNeil testified, “Jay (Sylvestre) said he wrapped a gun in his shirt and threw it under a dumpster and asked me to go get it.”

Earlier this week, Sylvestre tried-on a black t-shirt that was recovered by police, behind a tire shop on Dundas Street, next to a dumpster and wrapped around a handgun.

During his testimony, McNeil also said he received a call from accused Denny Doucet who told him to report the car stolen. But McNeil said he didn’t know the “car was used in murder.”

The car in question was a white Ford Fusion, rented by McNeil’s step mother.

Last week, a forensic detective reviewed photos of a burnt-out white Ford Sedan.

McNeil testified that he was never told what actually happened, he only found out that Pate was dead when police showed up at his house, inquiring about the white Ford Fusion.

The judge-only trial continues Thursday.