(file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Trial continues

Trial continues in Cochin-area homicide case

Dec 16, 2020 | 5:52 PM

During the trial for Joshua Roy Tucker in Queen’s Bench Court in Battleford Wednesday, defence counsel Jonathan Bodvarson told the court he aims to argue the accused was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the alleged offence, so is not criminally responsible.

Joshua Tucker previously pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder in the death of his adopted father, Gordon Tucker, who was found deceased May 31, 2018, at his farm property southeast of Cochin.

During court Wednesday, Joshua Tucker’s adopted mother Kim Ternier took the stand. She described how Joshua experienced increasing thoughts of paranoia before Gordon’s death.

She said Joshua told her the TV was talking about them and believed he heard people living in the attic of the separate house he resided in on the property.

Ternier said Joshua would often call in the middle of the night asking if she and Gordon were OK. Sometimes he would knock on the door of Kim and Gordon’s house in the middle of the night asking if they were safe. Ternier confirmed one day he showed up with a firearm he said he was holding “for our protection.”

Sask Energy

Natural Gas flaring being done in Meota

1h ago

JPII Renos

'Plywood Palace' no longer: JP II reopens with Moe and Cockrill

20h ago

Early Game Struggles

North Stars almost complete comeback in Kindersley

Sep 22, 2024

When asked if Joshua was using any drugs, Ternier said she was not aware of that, nor did she see any evidence of it.

It was confirmed in court Gordon Tucker died after a fatal shot to his back.

On Tuesday RCMP officer Brent Salzl, a member of the forensic identification team, gave evidence blood was found on Joshua Tucker’s underwear and on one of his shoes, when Joshua arrived at the RCMP detachment in North Battleford on May 31, 2018, looking for police protection.

Joshua Tucker is expected to take the stand in court Thursday.

The trial is now scheduled to wrap up next Tuesday.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW