Trial officially underway for body in freezer murder case
A St. Thomas, Ont. courtroom heard the grisly details surrounding the death of a Mississauga man who was found in a freezer seventeen years after he disappeared Thursday.
In his opening address to the jury, Crown Attorney Andrew Paul described how Ashley Max Domenic Pereira, 33, died. The Crown laid out its case saying that Chad Reu-Waters, 48, told his ex-wife what he had done to the victim.
Paul said, “The accused told her he killed Ashley, that he kept Ashley’s body in a freezer and that he had strangled him.”
He went on to say, “Someone had tightly tied a cord around Pereira’s neck.”
The court heard that years later, the freezer in question was dumped off a cliff east of Port Burwell and that’s where it was found in May 2019.
The man who discovered the freezer, Jacob Harder, was the first to testify in the case. He told the jury he was out on a hike when he saw the freezer along the Lake Erie cliff.
Harder said, “There was a lock on there...I thought it was weird.” When Harden broke the lock he testified, “A shoe fell out with a bone in it, I kind of freaked out and called 9-1-1.”
Reu-Waters has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder and committing an indignity to a body.
The court heard that the victim and the accused were known to each other. Both had spent time together at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre.
Pereira, who lived in Mississauga, was last seen alive in March of 2002.
The trial resumes on Friday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.