Northern Ont. trial begins with shocking details about murder scene

The Sudbury Courthouse is seen in this file photo. (File)

Warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of a murder scene many will find upsetting. Reader caution strongly is advised.

The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.

Felicity Altiman, 43, is on trial at the Sudbury Courthouse in the stabbing death of Robert 'Bob' Keskinen, who was 75 when his body was found.

Altiman has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge.

In her opening statement, assistant Crown Attorney Brittany Butler told the jury they would be presenting witnesses and evidence showing that Keskinen was stabbed about 103 times, either late on Dec. 24 or early Dec. 25, 2020.

Butler said witness testimony, video footage, DNA and fingerprints would link Altiman to the homicide. She also said that on the night of the murder, Altiman had been staying in someone else's apartment in the Kathleen Street building.

Butler "apologized in advance" to the jury for the graphic testimony they would hear and the gruesome images they would view during the course of the trial.

She said the autopsy showed multiple stab wounds to the victim’s head, neck and torso. Butler also said the victim's scrotum had been cut off and stuffed in his mouth.

She told the jury that Keskinen was known to Altiman because she would often stay with a friend who lived in the same building on Kathleen Street. She had told people that she would "steal from the old man across the hall."

The first witness to take the stand Wednesday was Keskinen’s cousin, Richard ‘Allan’ Keller.

Testimony from victim's cousin

Keller began his testimony by speaking about ‘Bob’ and how the two cousins were the same age and grew up together in Creighton.

After losing touch after they each got married, they reconnected later in life and were long-time friends. Keller testified he would drive Keskinen when he needed to go shopping and would help him around his apartment.

Keller told the court that his cousin often had his phone, wallet and other items stolen because he would leave his apartment door open slightly due to cigarette smoke.

He said he installed a new lock on the door in mid-December because Keskinen had been broken into.

He testified that his wife spoke to Keskinen by phone on the afternoon of Christmas Eve and they arranged to bring him Christmas dinner on Boxing Day.

They tried calling him twice on Christmas Day, but the phone was off. On Boxing Day, he drove to the Kathleen Street building to check on his cousin.

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Keller said he used his own key to get into the apartment.

"When I opened the door, it was a real mess," Keller told the court. He later clarified he "didn’t see a lot of blood – only on the mattress and a handprint on the wall."

His voice becoming quiet on the stand, Keller testified he first saw Keskinen’s bare foot behind a chair and then saw his body sloped against the wall.

Someone from the building was in the hall and Keskinen told them to call 911. He then left the apartment, locked the door and stood guard until police arrived.

When the Crown asked Keller if he recalled anything missing from the apartment, he said his cousin usually had a lot of beer empties, but there weren't any in the spot they were normally left.

Boots were missing

Keller also said a pair of his cousin's new winter boots were missing.

Defence counsel Steven Hinkson asked Keller about Keskinen’s generous spirit of helping others and giving things out to others like food, money and even footwear.

Hinkson also asked Keller about his concerns about where Keskinen was living.

Keller said he told Keskinen to "keep your door locked, be careful and do not flash your money around."

The trial is expected to take four weeks to complete. The Crown has said it has more than a dozen witnesses it expects to call during that time.