Body in septic tank at C/ville….Witness says he had nothing to do with woman’s death

Jul 01, 2015 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Winslow Smith, called ”Pastor Smith,” or “Elder Smith,” is the prosecution’s final witness in the murder trial of Anthony DePaul Hope and Ralph Tyndall.

Murder Accused Anthony DePaul Hope

Smith concluded his testimony, yesterday before Justice Roxanne George, maintaining that he had nothing to do with the disappearance or murder of 56 year-old Colleen Forrester.
Forrester was last seen at her brother’s house at Lot 55 William Street, Campbellville, on December 26, 2007. The woman was reported missing after neighbours noticed something was amiss and raised an alarm.
On January 6, 2008, her body was found by police ranks; her ankles were bound and her body wrapped in sheets before it was tossed into the septic tank. She was allegedly strangled and beaten to death with a pestle (mortar stick). Her nephew (Hope) and his friends, Ralph Tyndall and Kevin O’Neil were accused of the heinous crime.
O’Neil of Seaforth Street, Campbellville, has since been acquitted, but the other two persons were called upon to lead their defence.
The number one accused, Tyndall, in his unsworn statement, essentially blamed Hope for the murder. But Hope, in his defence related to the court that the last time he saw his aunt alive was on the night of December 26, 2007.
He said she had left the premises at William Street, Campbellville with “Elder Smith,” with whom she had shared a relationship. Hope claimed that Smith was a constant visitor at the premises, while he was staying there.
However, Smith in his testimony, rebutted information provided by Hope, that he was the last person to be seen with Forrester, the night she disappeared. He further told the court that his relationship with Colleen Forrester was in effect platonic—the relationship never exceeded that.
Smith maintained that his only involvement with Colleen Forrester and the immediate members of her family was through her attendance of the spiritual church in East La Penitence, for which he is an elder.
Yesterday, Smith faced questions from Attorney –at – Law Melville Duke relating to his beliefs and the practices of the church. In answer to questions from the lawyer, the witness told the court, that in the religion, there are different kinds of sacrifices; the sacrifice of a pure and contrite heart and the sacrifice of human blood. He said however that his church does not practice the latter or any sacrifices of such sort.
The lawyer went on to ask the witness whether colours had any significance in the religion. Smith related that red represented love and white represented purity.
The lawyer then asked the witness whether members of the organisation would usually be punished for breaking the rules. Justice George then interjected, admonishing the attorney about his line of questioning. The judge noted that the court would first need a copy of the rules of the church, before he could ask such questions.
Duke then went on to ask the man to recount the manner in which he made the discovery of the corpse in the septic tank. In response, Smith related that he had gone to the William Street, Campbellville residence after learning that Forrester’s relatives had been looking for her. He said that police were there and with their permission, he entered the yard to assist with the search.
The witness maintained that as he was looking around the yard to see if it was “dig up.” “Something tell me to go back and look into the septic tank.” He noted though that no strange smell came from the septic tank.
The witness said that he opened the septic tank cover, and looked inside. There, he saw what appeared to be “some cloth tied up”. Smith said he perceived that it was Forrester’s body that was in the sewerage system, but he had no confirmation at the time.
In response to further questions from the defence, Smith told the court that he knew nothing of the woman’s personal life except if he heard it from her or a member of the church. The man noted that he does not even know the woman’s nephew.
“I don’t even know who is Hope…,” he said pointing in the direction of the prisoners’ dock, where the two accused were seated.
The matter is set to continue today.
The State’s Counsel is Stacy Gooding and Diana Kaulesar. Defence attorneys Madan Kissoon and Melville Duke are expected to submit their closing arguments.