Lawyer for accused murderer Boris Panovski says that the Crown has not proven its case

Panovski retrial sees closing arguments The first-degree murder re-trial of Boris Panovski in St. Thomas saw closing arguments today, CTV News London's Nick Paparella reports

The lawyer for accused murderer Boris Panovski told the court that the Crown has not proven its case.

In her closing, Margaret Barnes said her client wasn’t at the Hullet Marsh, north of Clinton when Don Frigo, 70, was shot to death while on horseback with his wife Eva Willer Frigo in September of 2014.

She said, “The central issue in this case is identification.” Barnes added, “Ms. Willer Frigo identified the assailant and did not recognize that person to be Mr. Boris Panovski, a person that she had known.”

In June of 2018, Panovski who is now 80 years of age, was found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. However the verdict was overturned last year and a retrial was ordered with the case was moving to St. Thomas.

The court has heard that both the victim and the accused were know to each other after spending years together through field dog competitions.

Barnes said there is no proof of an alleged grudge between the two saying, “Michael Panovski said his grandfather never said anything bad about Don Frigo.”

Slated to last a month and a half, the trial is now into its ninth week.

The Crown is expected to give its closing argument on Friday morning.