THE main trial for the Turtle Creek Road, Five Star Backdam murder of a city gold miner/dredge owner, Timothy Adams continued in the Georgetown High Court on Thursday following a voir dire before Justice James Bovell-Drakes and a 12-member jury.

On trial is Marlon Freeman who was indicted for the December 23, 2013 murder which took place at North West District (NWD).

In presenting the state’s case, Prosecutor Lisa Cave told the court that between December 22 and 23, 2013, the accused murdered the miner.

The accused has since pleaded not guilty for the offence he stands indicted and is being represented by defence attorney Folio Richards.

The state called Detective Constable, Collis Duke to take the stand after which he was asked to identify the 16 photographs he took of the crime scene. The were marked, tendered and admitted as evidence in the trial.

The police witness then explained what each of the 16 photos depicted.

Under cross examination by defence counsel Folio Richards, Duke admitted that because of the terrain, he was the only police present at the crime scene on the day in question.

He added that that same day he used his Blackberry smartphone to take photos of the crime scene and he cordoned off the area, which he failed to mention in his deposition.

When questioned, Duke stated that he kept the memory card for the 16 photos he photographed of the crime scene in his possession and did not lodge same with a senior officer.

He told the court that he first went to Powis landing where he met a miner who took him to Turtle Creek Road, Five Star Backdam, where he spent about two hours at the location.

Duke, when further grilled by defence attorney Richards, told the court that he did not find any sharp instruments at the crime scene even though he carried out a search of the area and could not say who found the body of the deceased, Timothy Adams.

Medic Coleen Edgillo testified that on December 23, 2013, she was called to Pakera Hospital to examine the body of Timothy Adams. She explained that she found no heartbeat or pulse, that there was no rise and fall of the chest nor did she hear any breathing. Further, the pupils of the eyes were fixed and dilated.

She added that the body of the deceased bore a deep puncture wound to the right side of the neck and there was a laceration to the left side of the head.

The witness then pronounced the body dead before arrival and handed over same to Detective Collis Duke for post-mortem.

Under cross examination by Richards, Edgillo was asked whether she could determine the time of death and she replied in the negative. Neither could she say if the blunt trauma to the head was caused by a fall.

Police witness, Detective Eric Scott took the stand and testified that on December 24, 2013, he was part of a roving police patrol and he contacted the suspect, Marlon Freeman, based on information received and transported him from Five Star Backdam to Matthews Ridge Police Station.

There, he told the court, he put the allegation of murder to the suspect after which he cautioned him and escorted him to the Port Kaituma Police Station where he placed him in the lockups.

Detective Scott identified the suspect Marlon Freeman who was present in court as the man he placed in police custody following the alleged murder of Timothy Adams.

He told the court that the suspect was in good health when he was taken from a mining camp to the police station.

The state is expected to present more witnesses.