Police testify seeing bloody scene at Denecho King trial

Grunting. Breathing. Two bodies lying on a bloody floor, with a video game on in the background.

This was the scene at Yellowknife'sSunridge Place apartment'sunit 323 the day John Wifladt died, according to thetestimony from three police officerswho arrived in the early morning.

Denecho King is on trial for charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault.

Wifladt died in Stanton Territorial Hospital shortly after the incident onDec. 14, 2014, and Digness wasmedevaced to Edmonton.

• Denecho King charged with murder, attempted murder in Sunridge attacks

On trial Thursday, police said they were met by another apartment resident at the main door to the building. The residentwas "pretty frantic," said Const.Chris Hipolito, via video conference from British Columbia.

"It was five in the morning and he was wide awake."

Hipolito said that the door was ajar when they arrived at the unit and saw Wifladt and Digness lying in the unit's hallway.

Conflicting memories

Cpl. Chris Picknell said he arrived on the scene and took photos with his iPhonebefore checking one of the men's bodies for injuries.

Picknellsaid he moved a sword away from Wifladt's body and put it near a smaller sword, so that it would be easier for paramedics to get to the men.

Const.Ryan Bennett remembered leaving the unit to help first responders who were carrying a man on a spine board. Bennettsaid he only remembered the swords being "in close proximity" to each other.

Bennett said that he saw a man lying "face down" on the floor;Hipolito said both men were "laying on their sides."

Hipolito said that Picknell showed him a "spot on one male's body."

Hipolitosaid they found the spot unusual.

"He couldn't understand, and I couldn't understand, at the time," said Hipolito.

It was a three-inch spot on a white undershirt that looked like blood, but when police moved the shirt, there was no obvious source of the bleeding, Hipolito said.

"It still sticks out in my mind," said Hipolito.

Concerns of contaminated crime scene

Defence lawyer JayBran asked the officers if they wore protective shoe covers as they walked through the scene.

All three said they didn't.

He also asked if it was possible they grabbed the railings of the building as they walked inside.

Bran later told CBC that he wanted to hear if officers were being careful not to contaminate the crime scene.

The effect that the officers' presence had on the scene could be relevant if the Crown brings forward DNA evidence in later days.

Follow CBC's coverage of the Denecho King trial:

• DAY 1 |Denecho King murder trial underway in Yellowknife
• DAY 2 |Witnesses sayDenechoKing violent in hours before deadly attack
• DAY 3|First person at murder scene testifies duringDenechoKing trial
• DAY 4 |Survivor says he has no memory of alleged attack as Denecho King trial continues
• DAY 6|Video footage tracks Denecho King on day victim died, as trial enters 2nd week
• DAY 7|3 brothers who hung out with Denecho King on day of fatal attack testify at trial
• DAY 8 |Witness testifies he heard Denecho King say he killed two people

Emotional crowd

Sobs and sniffles were heard at times in court during the police testimony.

AsHipolitospoke, one woman began to make sounds at the back of the courtroom, and was hushed bysheriffs.

"This is so hard to go through," she said, in response.

King wore black, silverand red trainers, black dress pants, a navy shirt. He had a chain connecting his ankles.

The trial continues Friday.