Hundreds of bone fragments found after police spent 3 days sifting ashes, Derek Saretzky murder trial hears

The fire pit where Derek Saretzky says he burned the body of a two-year-old he'd just killed was still smoking when officers arrivedmore than 24 hours later, jurors heard Tuesday at the Alberta man's triple-murder trial.

RCMP Sgt. David Westin, with the forensic identification unit, testified at the trial in Lethbridge, Alta., that once the firewas fully extinguished, he spent three days sifting through the ashes, extracting hundreds of fragments of bone and teeth as well as several weapons and charred clothing.

Last week, the jury saw videosin which the accused first confesses to police hekidnappedand killing the child, Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette,then re-enacts the various indignities he performed on her body.

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Saretzky also admitted, in two separate incidents,to killing HanneMeketech, 69, in the Crowsnest Pass community of Coleman andDunbar-Blanchette'sfather, TerryBlanchette, 27, in neighbouring Blairmore.

In both cases, he saidheseverely beatthe victims with a baseball bat and crowbar and then attackedthem with a knife.

The 24-year-oldhas pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths. The father and daughter are believed to have been killed five days after Meketechwas found dead on Sept. 9, 2015.

The day after Blanchette's body was found, court heard,Saretzky's cousin Shane Koinbergwhose mother owned the land with the fire pit along with her sisters approached Const. Christopher Girard, an RCMP officer investigatingthe kidnapping of Dunbar-Blanchette and the murder of her father.

Koinberg told the officer there was "something weird" at the family campsite. Police descended on the property.

3 days spent sifting

Police carefully used small amounts of water to extinguish the smoulderingburn barrel, but its contents remained hot andforensic identification unit Sgt. David Westin burnt his hands as he began to sift through the ashes and debris, the jury heard.

Ablue tent had been erected over the pit to protect it from the elements.Westin and other officers then spent three days sifting andcollecting hundreds of pieces of evidence to be photographed, tested and examined.

Officers found hundreds of teeth and bone fragments, a hatchet, knife, remnants of a burned pair of jeans and a charred boot, books, a fork and spoon.

A metal pot with dried blood was also discovered. Jurors have already heard DNA tests confirmed the blood belonged to the toddler.

Surrounding the pit, police collected more hatchets, a hammerand a crowbar.

Chemicals sprayed around the property glowed blue at night, indicating there was blood in the grass and on a child's toy near the fire pit.

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Saretzkyadmitted to having feelings for CheyenneDunbar, the child's mother andBlanchette'sex-girlfriend, whois set to testify on Wednesday.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice William Tillemanis presiding over the trial. Patrick Edgertonis representing Saretzky.

• Get the latest developments in thetrial from our reporterin the courtroom in ourblogbelow. On our mobile app?You can also see ithere.

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