Luka Magnotta trial: Police were faxed directions to victim's head

Aninvestigator with the Montreal police's major crimes unit testified that police were sent a fax from an Ontario-based lawyer with written directions on how to find the last missing body part of 33-year-old victim Jun Lin.

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Antonio Paradiso, a member of the investigative team searching for the victims head, said the three-page fax was addressed to him and sent from Raphael J. Feldsteins law office on July 1, 2012.

The witness read out a portion of the text for the court: You may find what youre looking for by following these directions: Exit the Angrignon subway station,followed by more precise instructions guiding officers across a parking lot and to a path around a pond.

Paradiso told the court he immediately went to Montreals AngrignonPark with his partner to follow the instructions, but officers had problems identifying which pond the letter was referencing.

He called the lawyers office for more information,without success.

Police found the victims severed head later that day with the help of a canine unit.

Luka Magnotta has pleaded not-guilty to first-degree murder and four other charges, but has admitted to the physical act of killing Lin, along with the facts outlined in the other charges. His lawyer has told the court he intends to prove Magnotta is not criminally responsible because of mental illness.

The Crown alleges the killing was premeditated.

Magnotta'co-operative' after arrest

Paradiso was also among the group of six officers and a psychiatrist who went to Berlin to escort Magnotta back to Montreal after his arrest on June 4, 2012.

The witness told the court he was in charge of watching Magnotta, and that the accused was, very quiet, very co-operative, and slept most of the time.

Magnotta was handcuffed and his feet were shackled during the flight.Paradiso recalled having to cut the accuseds food for him, for practical reasons.

Drugs in victims body

The jury heard more Wednesday about the substances identified in Lins body from forensic toxicologist Catherine Lavalle, an expert witness for the Crown.

Lavalle told the court she was unable to test the victims blood or urinebecause of the state of the body, but she tested organs and was able to identify traces of temazepam, a prescriptionsleeping pill, and diphenhydramine, an over-the-counter antihistamine used to treat allergies that can also cause drowsiness.

The toxicologist said she was unable to determine the concentration of the drugs at the time of the victims death withoutblood or urine samples.

Lavalle told the court both drugs are depressants that cause a person to slow down both mentally and physically, and working together, the substances would have amplified that effect.

She also testified temazepam can cause amnesiaand is seenin suspicious deaths and cases of sexual assault.

Five months after her initial report, the toxicologist was asked to examine a wine bottle police found in the trash outside the apartment where the crime took place.

Lavalle determined there were also traces of temazepam, which dissolves in wine, in the bottle.

She was unable to pinpoint the exact quantity.

More from bloodstain expert

Earlier on Wednesday, Magnottas defence lawyer, Luc Leclair, focused on cleaning as he cross-examined the forensic biologist who analyzed DNA and bloodstains found in the accuseds apartment.

Jacinthe Prvost said an attempt had been made to clean blood from the apartment, particularly in the bathroom, but the cleaning was poorly done and many bloodstains were still visible.

The biologist also examined sperm stains found on sheets and clothing, but did not identify any belonging to the victim.

The trial resumes Thursday with a new witness.

• Mobile users: Click here to see the fax entered into evidence in the trial