An Ontario Provincial Police officer testified Monday at the second-degree murder trial of Elfgard Oughtred. Her husband, 82-year-old Gordon Oughtred, was found dead in the couple’s Brant County home on Nov. 24, 2022. Hours later, Elfgard visited a local OPP detachment. Video of her statement to Det.-Const. Dan Twinem was played in court during the officer’s testimony. Elfgard, who was 78-years-old at the time, said she went out shopping for a fleece vest for Gordon that morning. She told police she visited several stores and then returned to their home on Salt Springs Church Road around noon. Elfgard said she found Gordon lying on the floor and went to a neighbour for help. That neighbour then called 911 and Elfgard said the pair were instructed to try and turn Gordon’s body. Elfgard claimed she helped move her husband, then washed her hands and vomited in the bathroom. Twinem said he asked her if she had noticed anything out of place in the home. “I didn’t pay any attention, but to me it looked fine,” shereplied, adding her only concern was for her husband. The video then showed Elfgard started to cry. During her statement, Elfgard couldn’t remember details such as Gordon’s exact birth date or the last name of her stepdaughter. “I should know after 30 years, but tonight I don’t know,” she told Twinem. Twinem went on to ask if there were any people Gordon had problems with. Elfgard said she didn’t know. “He keeps a lot to himself normally,” she said. “He doesn’t talk a whole lot.” Twinem also asked if she knew anyone who wanted to hurt her husband. “That part I don’t know. I really don’t know. Honest to God, I don’t,” she responded. Elfgard’s statement ended after approximately 54 minutes. At the end Twinem asked her if there was anything else she wanted to share and she replied: “Not right now, not that I know of. I mean, I’m just a normal person.” During cross-examination, Oughtred’s lawyer noted that, on that day, Twinem never asked Elfgard about Gordon’s health or medical history. It was also confirmed during cross-examination that Twinem was also one of the officers who went to the Briarwood Nursing Home in 2024 to arrest Elfgard. More testimony Jurors also watched a different video of another voluntary statement Elfgard made in May 2024 to Det.-Const. Petar Brujic. By that time, Oughtred was considered the suspect in the murder. During that interview, Elfgard told the officer she had recently been released from the hospital after a suicide attempt, which she said happened because she was stuck at home and depressed. Brujic asked her how she was doing since Gordon’s death. “It’s been hard,” she answered. “I cry every day. Sometimes two or three times a day.” She also said she had a stroke and was not able to drive. She then admitted to having driven twice. Brujic then told Elfgard dozens of officers were investigating her husband’s death. “What do you think’s happened to him?” he asked. She answered, “I don’t know.” Brujic went on to ask her: “Did you kill Gordon?” Elfgard replied, “No,” and added, “I didn’t kill him. I know I didn’t kill him.” Brujic then questioned Elfgard about her visit to the casino, including why she didn’t mention that she had gone there on Nov. 24, 2022. Elfgard told him she forgot and said she didn’t tell police, “because it wasn’t important.” “Everything’s important in a homicide investigation,” Brujic said. He later asked her about the couple’s relationship. “I had a wonderful relationship with him,” Elfgard said. She described Gordon as “kind.” “He hugged me once in a while and kissed me once in a while. I kissed him back,” she said. Brujic said that, after dozens of interviews, it seemed that Gordon wasn’t always a nice person and that he drank too much. Elfgard said, “I couldn’t stop him,” and said some days he was bad and some days he was good. She said Gordon never threatened or hurt her, although she admitted that he didn’t like it when she gambled. Bruijic asked how Elfgard felt about being asked if she killed her husband. “Why? I didn’t do it. I didn’t do anything. I came home. I found him on the floor in a pool of blood.” She was then asked if she would be willing to take a lie detector test. When she agreed to do it, he asked what it would show. “It’s the truth. I did not kill him,” she responded.
