New Brunswick

Devin Morningstar's murder trial details Baylee Wylie's stabbing death

Devin Morningstar acknowledged he was "partly responsible" for the death of Baylee White when he was being questioned by police, his first-degree murder trial heard on Thursday.

Jury hears recordings of police interviews during investigation

A young man scowling while wearing a backward ballcap.
Devin Morningstar, 20, refused to testify at the first degree murder trial of 22 year old Marissa Shephard. (Facebook)

Baylee Wylie's mother fled from the Moncton courtroom in tears Thursday as a murder trial jury heard how her 18-year-old son was killed in December.

In an interview with RCMP, Devin Morningstar described how Wylie, 18, was killed on the night of Dec. 16.

Morningstar, 19. who is one of three people charged with first-degree murder in Wylie's death, said Wylie was initially tied up in a chair, was Saran-wrapped and beaten for an hour.

Then he was "ruthlessly stabbed" by Tyler Noel, "everywhere" on his body, Morningstar told police in the interview that was played Thursday at his first-degree murder trial in the Court of Queen's Bench.

"He was going crazy," said Morningstar. "He was saying, 'This is what happens to rats.'"

The trial has heard Wylie had up to 200 wounds.

The body of 18-year-old Baylee Wylie was discovered in a residence on Sumac Street in Moncton by firefighters on Dec. 17 after extinguishing an early morning fire at the residence. (Submitted)

Morningstar said Noel turned to him and said, 'Now you need to prove yourself. I need to know you're not going to the police station.'"

Morningstar said he stabbed Wylie three times.

"Wylie said to me, 'Dev, this isn't you. You're high.'"

Noel and Marissa Shephard are also charged with first-degree murder in connection with Wylie's death. They have separate trials scheduled.

​Morningstar's interview revealed that he, Noel and Wylie were all involved romantically with Shephard.

Morningstar told police Shephard was on the sideline with him for the most part, but she stabbed Wylie more than he did, but less than Noel.

"It was Tyler trying to impress," said Morningstar. "Missy likes bad boys.

"In a weird, sick way, I feel that's why Tyler was being so ruthless."

Asked if Shephard was impressed by the ruthlessness, Morningstar replied, "She left with him and ditched me, so yeah."

In an earlier police interview played for the jury, Morningstar acknowledged he was "partly responsible" for Wylie's death.

"You understand Baylee's dead and you are partly responsible?" asked RCMP Sgt. Jim MacPherson.

"Yes, partly," replied Morningstar. "Thank you for saying it like that.

"I have a heart, and Tyler is a f-----g monster. He doesn't have a heart."​

Wylie's body was found beneath a mattress in the ruins of a burned-out unit of a triplex on Sumac Street on Dec. 17, 2015.

The trial has heard Wylie was dead before the fire started.

With files from Gabrielle Fahmy