Firearms expert tells murder trial jury about revolver, bullet

The jury in a Moncton murder trial heard testimony Wednesday from a ballistics expert about a revolver and a bullet, but jurors have yet to hear evidence about their relevance in the overall case.

RCMP forensics specialist Greg Williams was the sixth witness to testify in the trial of Riley Robert Sheldon Phillips. 

The 20-year-old is being tried by a jury in Moncton's Court of King's Bench on a charge of second-degree murder. It's alleged he killed Joedin Lloyd Leger, 18, in Moncton on April 25, 2022. Phillips pleaded not guilty to the charge when the trial began Monday.

Williams was qualified as an expert witness, able to testify and give opinion evidence about firearms identification, tool marks and ammunition. His testimony focused on two items he was asked to examine: a .38 calibre revolver and a fired bullet.

Williams said the bullet was contained in packaging that labelled it as "bullet from body." Justice Robert Dysart told the jury that they've yet to hear evidence about the source of the bullet.

Williams described how firearms can leave marks on bullets and shell casings that can be used to determine if a gun fired a specific bullet. 

He said he test-fired the revolver several times and was able to establish a mark pattern on the test-fired bullets.

He compared the marks on the test-fired bullets to the bullet that had already been fired, saying he found "significant agreement" in the marks. Later, he said he concluded the bullet had been fired by the revolver.

The jury has yet to hear evidence about where the bullet was found, or the source of the revolver. 

Williams is expected to be cross-examined by defence lawyer Brian Munro on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Sgt. Mitchell Perry of the RCMP forensics unit testified about photos he took at a Logan Lane duplex.

The Crown alleges Leger was shot at his Logan Lane duplex during a home invasion involving six people, including Phillips, that sought to rob Leger and his girlfriend of drugs, money and vape products. 

Perry showed the jury photos of the exterior of 150 Logan Ln., including tarps officers placed over evidence to protect it from the rain on the morning of April 25, 2022.

Perry testified he also photographed the interior of the home, took swabs of potential DNA evidence inside and outside the home, and seized several items. 

Perry's testimony was paused before he could finish to allow the ballistics expert to testify, who was appearing by video from Ottawa.

It was the third day of the trial, which is expected to last about four weeks.