St. Leon fire chief testifies at triple-murder trial

Jurors in the murder trial of a Manitoba man, accused of killing his parents and brother in 2005, heard testimony on Tuesday from the fire chief who went to the blaze where the deceased family members were found.

Denis Jerome Labossiereis charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Fernand Labossiere, 78, his wife Rita, 74, and their son Remi, 44.

Labossiere is being tried with his co-accused, Michel Hince,this week in Winnipeg.

The three Labossiere family members were found dead in their home in St. Leon, Man., after a fire in November 2005. It was later determined that they had been shot.

On Tuesday, St. Leon fire Chief Roy Toupin testified that he and his volunteer crew responded to a fire call at the Labossiere farm house early in the morning of Nov. 26, 2005.

But by the time they arrived, the home had burned to the ground. The bodies of Fernand, Rita and Remi Labossiere were found in the basement, Toupin said.

"The bodies were in bad shape," he told the court. "They were charred beyond recognition."

Fire chief's son will be key Crown witness

What Toupin did not know at the time was that his own son, Jeremie, would later be arrested by British Columbia RCMP in connection with the Labossiere deaths.

In court, the elder Toupin acknowledged the arrest of his son, who had moved to B.C. in the fall of 2006.

Crown prosecutors told the jury on Monday that Jeremie Toupin, a key witness, will testify about what happened at the Labossiere home.

Under cross-examination, Roy Toupin was questioned about footprints his firefighters found in the snow near the burned-out farm house.

The tracks were pointed out to RCMP investigators, but casts or photographs were never produced.

The jury also heard on Tuesday from Mark Kohaykewych, who was a friend of both accused men and Jeremie Toupin.

Kohaykewych testified that he met up with Jerome Labossiere at a Winnipeg bar on the night before the St. Leon triple-homicide and fire.

Hince and Toupin did not join them that night, Kohaykewych testified. Labossiere appeared normalat the bar, he added.

The jury will hear more testimony from Crown witnesses on Wednesday, then adjourn until next week.