A Crown prosecutor in a Saskatoon murder trial told the jury Monday a mother of two killed in her rented basement suite in the city’s Stonebridge area was killed by a man she’d taken in when he had nowhere to go.

The Crown opened its case in the first-degree murder trial of Tyler Hurd, 35, in Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench by showing a video of the crime scene and presenting notes that include a murder confession.

Hurd is accused of killing 55-year-old Cynthia Crampton.

Crampton’s daughter testified her mother, leading up to her death, began befriending what the daughter described as transient people.

The daughter, Shanda Leftley, said she remembers growing up with a mother who loved music, dancing and TV shows, but also someone who didn’t like going out, crowds of people and was quiet. Leftley said, aside from spending time with a few close friends she shared with her husband, Crampton kept to herself.

Leftley testified at the trial that her mother saw a psychiatrist for depression and anxiety and went through a bout of depression before her death but that it seemed she all of a sudden got better.

It seemed she “snapped the other way out of depression,” Leftley said.

She testified her mother’s behaviour became manic and she suddenly had numerous new friends. Crampton met her new friends at St. Paul’s Hospital, where she was spending time because her mother was ill, according to Leftley. She described them as transient people who were involved in drugs and gangs. She was concerned and warned her mother about them.

Leftley and Crampton got together on June 1, 2016 – the day it’s believed Crampton died – to drink coffee and work on Crampton’s resume. Crampton wanted to apply for a job at Shopper’s Drug Mart to work more hours than she was at the lottery ticket kiosk and by doing bookkeeping on the side. In the two days that followed, Leftley was unable to get ahold of Crampton and her mother didn’t show up for work.

Leftley testified her sister Kara called her from Crampton’s home on June 3. She remembers every day what her sister told her when she found their mother’s body:

“Oh my God, Shanda. She’s here and it’s bad. You need to come and I’m phoning 911.”

Crown prosecutor Sheryl Fillo said Hurd planned to kill Crampton after she received her paycheck so he could take the money. She said although Crampton didn’t have “a lot of money” she helped those less fortunate than herself, including Hurd.

Crampton was found face down in the bathroom of the basement suite wrapped in towels, some of which were soaked in blood. A hammer, with what appeared to be dried blood on the head, was found by police underneath one of the towels, court heard. Three leather straps that matched a purse and a towel rod were also entered as evidence.

Court was also shown a wooden board, with a note penciled into it, found on a bed in the basement suite. The note said, “I’m going to do what I’ve said I would for a long time” and “brutally kill” Cindy by slitting her neck. The writer said they were asked to leave when they told Cindy they wouldn’t have sex with her. The note is addressed to a Tammy and the writer apologizes for abandoning her and says they love her.

Police also seized an abandoned car and found jewelry, clothing and a bag containing Crampton’s identification. Officers seized a bank receipt from June 1, 2016, showing approximately $1,400 being deposited by cheque, then a similar amount being withdrawn.

Another note was seized by police that wrote drugs led the writer to being homeless without friends and family. The note read, “I just had the nicest calm feeling come over me. As it stands, I’m wanted for murder.”

The note went on to say the writer is capable of highly pre-mediated murder and said “The murder is so easy to figure out and prove that it’s no doubt they know 100 per cent was me. Lol (sic).”

Fillo told the jury to expect “chilling details” about how Crampton died when an interview between Hurd and police is played in court.

Kara Leftley, Crampton’s daughter who discovered the body, is expected to testify Tuesday morning. The trial is scheduled to last two weeks.