First responders testify at second-degree murder trial of Erick Buhr

Warning: This story contains details that some readers may find disturbing.

Four witnesses testified Wednesday at the trial of Erick Buhr, who has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his grandmother, Viola Erb.

Proceedings began with Buhr’s frantic call to 911 on Sept. 24, 2022.

“My grandma’s been murdered,” he told the dispatcher. “I came in and she’s done, she’s gone.”

Buhr explained that he’d been outside and, upon returning to the home they both shared, he found the 88-year-old Erb.

“There’s blood all over the place,” he said on the 911 call. “I was outside. I came back and the door was open.”

The dispatcher then asked if he was able to perform CPR.

“I tried… she’s gone,” Buhr replied.

When asked who he thought could have hurt his grandmother, he replied: “No, she was the sweetest lady ever.”

Buhr also said he dragged Erb towards the stairs and put water on her face, but was unable to “wake” her.

At that point in the call, first responders had arrived at the home, which was located just outside of Baden.

First witness

The paramedics who took the stand on day two of Buhr’s trial described what they saw at the scene.

Andrew Simmons, along with his partner Sara Clemens, arrived at the home around 1:28 p.m.

Erb, he said, was laying on her back in the kitchen with blood pooled around her head.

“There was also quite a bit of… other blood,” he added, referring to smears and splatters in the surrounding area.

Simmons testified to seeing trauma or bruising on Erb’s face, specifically her head and eyes.

He also said Erb had a weak carotid pulse.

Simmons and Clemons then began lifesaving measures but that was ultimately called off.

Twelve minutes after their arrival, Erb was pronounced dead.

Simmons testified, during cross-examination, that he saw what looked like dried blood at the scene. When asked how he knew that, Simmons said it didn’t appear to be sticky or shiny.

He also stated that Buhr seemed “frantic.”

Second witness

Clemons was next to testify.

“I saw a woman lying on the ground… [and] copious amounts of blood,” she recalled. “There was a lot of trauma to her face and there was blood all around.”

Clemons described the scene as “chaotic.”

She said Buhr was in the kitchen while they worked on Erb.

“Sort of pacing around nonsensically, I guess,” she testified.

Clemons confirmed that Erb had “massive” facial injuries and, initially, a weak pulse. A short time later, however, they were unable to get a heartbeat.

She also noted that Erb’s chest felt unstable and she thought it may have been a broken rib.

Third witness

The jury also heard from two police officers.

Const. Cameron Dorland, of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, said there was “blood all over the floor” when he arrived.

He also described Erb as being “beaten up really bad.”

Dorland testified that he didn’t notice any signs of forced entry into the home.

Video from his body camera was also shown to the jury.

“I searched for a pulse and there was nothing,” Buhr was heard saying. “I didn’t feel a thing.”

Dorland, with his gun drawn, then went to search the home.

Buhr described his reaction to finding his grandmother to Dorland’s partner, Const. Christopher Lacroix.

“What do I do? What the f--- do I do?” he could be heard saying.

Buhr told the officer that when he found his grandmother he tried to move her and then stopped.

“What the f--- am I doing?” he said in the video. “This is dumb. So I dragged her back.”

Then, Buhr told the officer, he called 911.

Lacroix asked Buhr twice if he had changed his clothes when he returned home and Buhr replied, both times, that he did not.

“I tried, I tried, I tried to save her,” he could be heard saying. “I tried to put cold water on her. I didn’t know what to do.”

During cross-examination, Buhr’s lawyer asked about the doors at the home. Dorland said the basement door was locked, but could be opened from the inside. He also said the door from the living room to the deck was unlocked.

Fourth witness

The last witness to take the stand was Lacroix.

“I noticed [Buhr] was sweaty,” he recalled. “When I first arrived he was out of breath as well.”

Lacroix also testified that he saw blood on Buhr’s hands and legs, as well as scrapes on his legs and feet.

He didn’t notice any blood on Buhr’s clothing.

Later, Lacroix stated, Buhr wanted to go back into the home to retrieve drugs because he didn’t want to be charged with possession.

During cross-examination, Lacroix said Buhr asked to go upstairs to get some cigarettes. Lacroix followed him up and testified that he didn’t see him take or hide any clothing.

When Buhr was told Erb had died, Lacroix said “he was upset.”

Lacroix also testified that he knew Buhr when he was younger but the two had had no interactions as adults.

Buhr’s trial will continue on Thursday.