GPS technology the focus on Day 5 of second-degree murder trial of Erick Buhr
Testimony continued Monday at the trial of Erick Buhr, who has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder of his grandmother, Viola Erb.
At the time of her death, in September 2022, Buhr was serving a conditional sentence and wearing an ankle bracelet. That device was collecting data on his location once every minute.
The Crown showed maps, as well as raw data, of Buhr’s locations in court. That information was gathered from his ankle bracelet between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the day of Erb’s death.
Stephen Tan, the director of operations for the company that operates the compliance monitoring program, took the stand Monday.
He said the system requires communication with five to 21 satellites to get a location. When a bracelet is outside, there are fewer obstructions in the way and it can typically access more satellites. He testified that, when the person wearing the device is inside a building, like a house, they “generally expect to see nine or 10 satellites.” Tan added that the technology uses civilian GPS which, as a starting point, has a margin of error of 50 feet.
He noted that the data collected between 12:50 p.m. and 12:59 p.m. on the day Erb died showed two points that appeared to be far from the Sandhills Road home. But, given that nine satellites accessed the location, Tan suggested it was much more consistent with the bracelet being indoors.
Earlier in the trial, Sgt. Andrew Kroetsch said Buhr took him to a wooded area behind the home where, he claimed, he had been sitting when his grandmother was attacked.
During a lengthy cross-examination, Buhr’s lawyer Bruce Ritter raised questions about the accuracy of the ankle bracelet data.
Tan testified that it gives them a idea of the location but, in this case, not two or three football fields away.
“Seems to me, something’s either accurate or it’s not,” Ritter stated.
The trial is set to continue on Tuesday.
History of the case
Erb was found dead in her home, just outside of Baden, on Sept. 24, 2022.
According to her obituary, the 88-year-old “passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.”
Waterloo Regional Police and the Office of the Chief Coroner later determined her death was suspicious, however they did not say how Erb died or why it was believed to be a homicide.
Buhr was charged with second-degree murder five days after Erb’s death.
On Friday, the forensic pathologist who conducted the victim’s autopsy testified at Buhr’s trial.
Dr. Linda Kocovski explained that Erb died from “external neck compression and blunt force head trauma.”
She said she found numerous injuries on Erb’s head, including lacerations on her forehead, under her eyes, on her nose, lips and inside of her mouth. Erb also had fractures to her nose, the bones around her eyes, cheekbones and upper and lower jaw bones, as well as two black eyes.
In cross-examination, Ritter noted Erb was on blood thinners and asked how that would impact bruising. Kocovski confirmed that bruises may be larger on individuals who take blood thinners.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada expands list of banned firearms to include hundreds of new models and variants
The Canadian government is expanding its list of banned firearms, adding hundreds of additional makes, models and their variants, effective immediately.
Could the discovery of an injured, emaciated dog help solve the mystery of a missing B.C. man?
When paramedic Jim Barnes left his home in Fort St. John to go hunting on Oct. 18, he asked his partner Micaela Sawyer — who’s also a paramedic — if she wanted to join him. She declined, so Barnes took the couple’s dog Murphy, an 18-month-old red golden retriever with him.
opinion How will the weak Canadian dollar affect your holiday and travel plans?
As the Canadian dollar loses ground against major global currencies, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew explains how current exchange rates can impact your travel plans, and shares tips to help you plan smarter and protect your wallet.
The world has been warming faster than expected. Scientists now think they know why
Last year was the hottest on record, oceans boiled, glaciers melted at alarming rates, and it left scientists scrambling to understand exactly why.
The latest: Water bottle, protein bar wrapper may help identify shooter in UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing
The masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson used ammunition emblazoned with the words 'deny,' 'defend' and 'depose,' a law enforcement official said Thursday. Here's the latest.
7.0 earthquake off Northern California prompts brief tsunami warning
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook a large area of Northern California on Thursday, knocking items off grocery store shelves, sending children scrambling under desks and prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the U.S. West Coast.
Saskatoon based dog rescue operator ordered to pay $27K for defamatory Facebook posts
A Saskatoon based dog rescue operator has been ordered to pay over $27,000 in damages to five women after a judge ruled she defamed them in several Facebook posts.
Pete Davidson, Jason Sudeikis and other former 'SNL' cast members reveal how little they got paid
Live from New York, it's revelations about paydays on 'Saturday Night Live.'
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim admits to being 'orange pilled' in Bitcoin interview
Bitcoin is soaring to all-time highs, and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim wants the city to get in on the action.