Crown says Greg Fertuck told undercover police he shot his wife at gravel pit

Greg Fertuck told undercover police officers that he shot his estranged wife Sheree, wrapped her body in a tarp and then used a payloader to lift her body into the back of his truck, court heard Tuesday.

Crown prosecutor Cory Bliss told the judgeabout the confessionon the first day of Fertuck's first-degree murder trial, which began Tuesday at Saskatoon'sCourt of Queens Bench.

Greg is accused of killing his wife Sheree Fertuck, who went missing in December 2015. Greg was arrested in 2019 after a lengthy undercover police sting. The trial by judge is expected to last eight weeks.

"Not guilty," Greg said, standing in the prisoner's box wearing an orange shirt on Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty to the murder chargeand tocommitting an indignity to Sheree's body.Justice Richard Danyliukreminded the court that Gregis presumed innocent.

Sheree's remains have never been found, butBliss said investigatorsseizedother forensic evidence, including rifle casings and blood, that links Greg to the homicide and corroborates his confession to undercover police.

All of the Crown's evidence will be heard in a voir dire a trial within a trial. That's because the case hinges on an undercover police investigation. At the end of the voir dire, the judge will decide what Crown evidence, including Greg's confession, is applicable to the main trial.

Bliss began his opening remarks by noting Sheree, 51, was a mother to three, a grandmother and a woman who loved her dog Charles. Sheree was a gravel hauler who had recently wona "lucrative contract."She was described as routineand strong.

She was last seen by her family having lunch with her mom. Sheree didn't finish her gravel job that day after leaving lunch to go back to work. She also didn't make it to anappointment, or to her home that night.

Sheree'struck was found at the pit the next morning. It wasunlocked with the lights on, her purple jacket and flip phone inside. There were no signs of Shereeand a search at the gravel pit turned up nothing.

Attention turns to Greg, ammunition found

Police attention turned to Greg as a possible suspect. Bliss said the rosy picture Greg painted for police of his relationship with Sheree conflicted with what others were saying.

The estranged couple had ongoing financial disputes. Bliss expects the court to hear that Greg's finances were poor andthat he had a sizeable pension from his years at CN, but couldn't access it because of ongoing family litigation with Sheree.

Bliss expects to call evidence that shows Sheree phoned a bank shortly before she disappeared to make a stop payment on a cheque.

Bliss said that even Greg's "own children suspected him" in the aftermath of Sheree's disappearance.Greg allegedly had not shown concern about Sheree's disappearance, wasn't asking questions about Sheree, didn't help with the search party and had started drinking again.

Bliss said forensic evidence will show a blood spot in the back of Greg's truck matches the profile taken from Sheree's razor. Police searched Greg's home and found .22 caliber ammunition, a cartridge and magazine, but no gun.

In April 2016, police did a search at the pit and found two spent .22 caliber rifle shell casings close to where Sheree's truck was found. Bliss said they didn't release that finding to the public or Sheree's family.

Undercover police operation begins

Police arrested Greg in October 2017 and confronted him again about his suspected involvement. A cell phone ping placed him near the pit on the afternoon Sheree disappeared.

Greg reportedly told police he drove to the pit for some pails of gravel, but didn't see Sheree there.Bliss said Greg challenged police to find more evidence and prove he killed Sheree.

Bliss said RCMP took Greg up on his offer. They started planning a type of undercover police operationknown as the Mr. Big sting. Bliss hinted at how the sting played out.

It began with surveillance to learn Greg'shabits. Then Greg "won" a rigged competition for an all-expenses-paid trip to Alberta. That's where he met a group of new "friends" undercover cops pretending to be other people.

This friendship would evolve into a working relationship and ultimately lead to Greg's confession to murder, Bliss said. The interactions between police and Greg were recorded.

Bliss said Greg was comfortable with criminal work.Apparently he told his new friends, "I see nothing, I hear nothing," comparing himself to Sgt. Schultz from Hogan's Heroes.

As the friendship developed, police officers continued to conduct scenarios to build rapport with Greg. Thenin January 2019, Greg injured his head. The undercover officers were the ones who called an ambulance for him, despite Greg's protests.

Once Greg started to recover, Bliss said officers had to redo Mr. Big scenarios because there were things he couldn't remember. They started building the scenarios back up with Greg, including a situation that involved someone who had supposedly harmedtheir girlfriend (a fictitious scenario designed to mirror what they thought Greg did to Sheree).

At the same time, police (not the undercover ones) began putting more pressure on Greg, telling him he was still under investigation for Sheree's disappearance and calling him in for questioning.

A visit to the boss and a confession

The "boss" of Greg's supposed friends called himin for a meeting and offered to help him with his apparent problem.

"Greg Fertuck emphatically wants his help," Bliss said, noting the conversation was recorded and will be played in court. Bliss said the court will see Greg admitting to killing his wife in a calm, relaxed conversation.

Greg allegedly saidhe wished he didn't do it.

Bliss said evidence will show that on the day Sheree was allegedly murdered, Greg was seen at a physio appointment around 11:30 a.m. CST, then cellphone records place him near the pit around 1:20 p.m. CST. Greg is then seen onsurveillance tape at a Saskatooncar wash around 5 p.m. CST.

Greg allegedly told Mr. Big officers that he shot Sheree twice with a Ruger 10/22 rifle, wrapped her body in a black tarp, used a payloader to lift her into the back of his truck and then drove her body to a remote location away from the pit.He told them he put her body in a treed area and covered it with deadwood.

Greg allegedly told the officershe drove to Saskatoon, washed his truck and clothing, then ditched the gun outside of the city.

Greg took the undercover police to where he said the body was, but no evidence was found.

The trial continues Wednesday.