Thomas Ted Barrett 'strangled' Brett MacKinnon, witness told police

A witness told policethat Thomas Ted Barrett confessed he strangled to death Brett Elizabeth MacKinnon, according to a videotaped statement played Tuesday at Barrett's second-degree murder trial in Sydney.

The Glace Bay man is being tried by judge alone in Nova Scotia Supreme Court. He is accused of killing MacKinnon, a 21-year-old woman last seen in 2006 and whose remains were found two years later.

During the second day of trial, the court was played a video of a statement given to police by Sheryl Flynn in November2012. Flynn subsequentlydied of an accidental drugoverdose.

On the tape,Flynn told police that she met Barrett, 40, in2005. She said she used to pick him up at his house and drive him to Tim Hortonsin Glace Bay.

'I strangled her'

In the parking lot ofthe coffee shop in 2009, she said Barrett told herhe killed MacKinnon, a statement that"came out of the blue."

"He told me, 'I don't know why, but I get an adrenaline rush; I strangled her,'" Flynn told police.

Flynn said she was in shock. She said Barrett talked, but she remained silent because she "didn't want to be another Brett."

She called Barrett a "very dangerous man and very, very sick." In her statement, Flynn told police to "get him for what he did" and "justice must be served."

Undetermined cause of death

Earlier on Tuesday, court heard from the medical examiner, Dr. Marnie Wood.Sheanalyzed the victim's remains but could not determine how she died.

She saidMacKinnon'sbones had no fractures and the skull was intact with no injuries. She said there was no evidence of a broken neck or ofMacKinnonbeing struck.

She ruled the death a homicide based on the crime scene.

The CBC'sYvonne LeBlanc-Smithlive bloggedfrom the courtroom.(Warning: Some details are graphic)

Two weeks have been set aside for the trial.

Barrettwill also be triedin the fall in the death of21-year-old Laura Jessome.