Piece of denim possibly linked to Fertuck disappearance not further investigated by police: testimony
About four years after Sheree Fertuck went missing, a father-son duo alerted police about a potential new piece of evidence.
RCMP Const. Robert Head, an investigator in the case, took the stand in Greg Fertuck’s murder trial.
Fertuck is charged with first-degree murder in connection to Sheree’s disappearance.
Sheree was last seen on Dec. 7, 2015 leaving her family farm near Kenaston, Sask. to go haul gravel. Sheree’s semi-truck was found abandoned in the gravel pit with her keys, phone and jacket left inside.
Head testified a father and his son, who crushed gravel in the same pit, found a piece of denim in their machine.
“It looked like part of a sleeve,” Head told court.
The fabric was believed to be found in the upper part of the pit — away from the area Sheree’s semi truck was found.
Head testified police determined the material didn’t belong to Sheree, based on its location and witness reports.
But the defence disagreed.
Defence lawyer Mike Nolin suggested Sheree was wearing a denim shirt the day she went missing, based on a description from Sheree’s brother — who saw her that day.
The constable told court the fabric wasn’t sent to a lab or investigated further.
Nolin asked Head how many times cadaver dogs were brought to search the pit.
Head said dogs were brought to the scene once, a few days after Sheree went missing.
On April 14, 2016, shell casings from a .22 calibre rifle were found at the pit.
The casings were sent to a lab to be compared to shell casings seized from Fertuck’s home, to see if they were fired from the same gun.
But there was no conclusive finding from the RCMP Firearms and Toolmark Identification Section.
“The expended cartridge case … was neither identified nor eliminated as having been fired in the same firearm,” the gun lab report read.
On Oct. 6, 2020, police further examined the pit — following a new admission from Fertuck’s girlfriend.
Ground penetrating radar was used and tractors were brought in to search five feet below the surface, Head testified.
After Fertuck told an undercover officer he shot Sheree at the pit, searches ramped up, court heard.
RCMP Cpl. Ronald Degooijer was the search coordinator, he lead searches based on information Fertuck gave to an undercover officer.
Degooijer testified he and his team looked for bones, black plastic and clothing.
Officers focused on a tree bluff area where Fertuck told undercover officers he dumped Sheree’s body.
Despite the searches, Sheree’s body has never been found.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.