Crown’s key witness testifies at double-murder trial in Moncton

A Crown witness testified at a double-murder trial in New Brunswick.

The jury in a double-murder trial heard testimony Monday from one of the Crown prosecution’s key witnesses.

Janson Bryan Baker has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 78-year-old Bernard Saulnier and his wife, 74-year-old Rose-Marie Saulnier.

The couple were both fatally shot in the head inside their Dieppe home in the early morning hours of Sept. 7, 2019.

The witness, a former acquaintance of Baker’s, told the court Baker admitted to the murders.

“He told me that he was responsible for a double murder in Dieppe,” the witness said.

There is a publication ban on reporting anything that could identify the witness.

The witness testified Baker and his friend Zach Trevors went to the Saulnier’s home the night of the killings.

He said Baker told him that he broke into the Saulnier’s home while wearing a clown mask and was confronted by the couple shortly afterwards.

According to the witness’s testimony Bernard Saulnier said, “You’re going to regret this,” but Baker told the couple to “get down” and shot them both.

The witness said he was told by Baker that he returned to the Saulnier’s home roughly an hour later and stole a solid gold watch and gold chain off of Bernard’s body.

Rose-Marie screamed loudly before being shot, court heard, and the witness said that scream would later give Baker nightmares.

Family and friends of the Saulniers were visibly upset after hearing the testimony.

In the morning, court heard from a witness who testified she took a photo of Baker wearing a gold chain the same morning as the murders.

Alicia Mehlenbacher testified she was living with Zach Trevors, her former boyfriend, when Trevors and Baker arrived at their basement apartment early that morning and made a commotion when they arrived.

“Zach and Jansen came home from being out,” said Mehlenbacher.

She testified that she took pictures of Baker around 4:30 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2019 with Baker wearing a gold chain.

Mehlenbacher recalled telling Baker the chain was “nice or impressive” and the photos were shared with friends on Facebook Messenger.

Mehlenbacher, a former regular drug user who said she is now clean, testified she knew Baker reasonably well.

“We all hung out,” said Mehlenbacher.

After a nearly five-year relationship, Mehlenbacher and Trevors broke up about three weeks after the murders.

Earlier, Rose-Marie’s sister Rachel Saulnier testified through a translator and said Bernard often wore expensive watches and chains.

The trial continues on Tuesday with cross examination of the witness that testified Baker committed the murders.

The trial is expected to run until the end of March.

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