Grandson testifies with damaging evidence at murder trial of Boris Panovski

A St. Thomas courtroom heard testimony that the accused involved in a shooting death asked his grandson about how he could get a gun to kill somebody.

Michael Panovski told the court that there was a time when he and his grandfather Boris got along personally and attended several bird dog competitions.

However, that all changed when the elder Panovski separated from his wife.

During one of his last visits to his grandfather’s new apartment near Toronto, Michael Panovski testified, ”He (Boris Panovski) was angry and confused…he’d be standing there praising himself with his arms wide open.”

He said, “He (Boris Panovski) was pushing me for information on how to get a gun…I asked what for? And he said, ‘To kill somebody.’”

He continued, “I was scared, weirded out…I ended up leaving.”

After that meeting, Donato Frigo, who was also involved with bird dogs, was shot to death while horseback riding with his wife Eva at an event at the Hullet Marsh, north of Clinton, on Sept. 13, 2014.

Frigo’s wife was injured, but survived.

The court has heard that the victim and the accused had a falling out and that Panovski who was a long-time dog breeder eventually got out of the business.

Panovski, who is now 79 years of age, was charged in the case and in 2018, he was found guilty after a trial in Goderich.

But last spring, a retrial was ordered and the case was moved to St. Thomas.

Once again, Panovski pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder.

Later in the day, Michael Panovski told the court that he was friends with the Frigos and that from time to time, he would watch their home when they would go away on vacation.

He testified that he was also there on the day of the incident north of Clinton and he saw Frigo’s wife Eva return after the shooting, ”She was covered in blood, waving her arms…you could see the pellets and her face was bleeding…she was in complete shock.”

The retrial is expected to last until the end of the month.