A video of David Woods’ first interview with police was shown inside a Saskatoon Court of Queen’s bench courtroom Wednesday.
Woods is accused of first-degree murder in the death of his wife Dorothy Woods. She went missing in November 2011 and her body was found in a culvert south of Saskatoon on Jan. 4, 2012.
The two-hour interview took place Nov. 17, 2011, almost one week after Dorothy’s disappearance.
Woods explained in the interview how he saw his wife’s behaviour change. He mentioned she was drinking a lot and hanging out less with friends. He also focused significantly on how he had just found out Dorothy was being unfaithful to him.
Woods said he confronted his wife on the morning of Nov. 11, 2011 and that the two argued. Dorothy then said their marriage was over.
He told police Dorothy was home watching movies with her two children later that evening, but noted she wasn’t home when he awoke at 3 a.m.
Her makeup bag and phone were missing, he told police. He believed she left with another man but would eventually return home.
The story matched details he told police in a phone call a few days earlier.
Woods called police Nov. 15 and said he believed his wife ran off with another man. He inquired to the dispatcher about changing the locks on his home. The dispatcher said not to file a missing persons report because Dorothy had run off with another man and wasn’t actually missing. He was told to call back if he suspected foul play.
A recording from the call was one of two played in court Wednesday.
The first recording was from a call David Woods made to police on Nov. 10, the day before Dorothy went missing. Woods reported his wife was driving impaired and told police he didn’t want her to come home that evening.
In the interview shown to court, Woods mentioned he heard a man’s name who was possibly having an affair with his wife.
While Woods was being interviewed at the police station, that man was also being interviewed in another room about receiving threatening and racist text messages from Dorothy’s phone.
Woods would again be interviewed by police later that day about the texts.
Lead investigator Sgt. David Hudson, who is now retired, was on the stand all day Wednesday.
He told court that on Nov. 18 during a search of the Woods' home, police found a makeup bag filled with makeup in a garbage bin. Officers also found Dorothy’s credit cards and cash in a tool box in the garage as well as a receipt for the purchase of plastic poly, a rope and a hack saw.
Hudson’s testimony is expected to continue Thursday.
