Trial opens for 2 men accused in killing of Tylor McInnis

There were quiet sobs in a Halifax courtroom Friday as the family of murder victimTylor McInnis watched security video of him walking through the lobby of an unidentified building.

McInnis, 26, was killed in August2016. His body was found in the trunk of a stolen car that had beenabandoned in a cemetery in North Preston, N.S.

Two men are on trial in connection with McInnis's death. Shawntez Neco Downey is charged with first-degree murder and robbery. His younger brother, Daniel Romeo Downey, is charged with robbery and being an accessory.

The Crown showed the security video of McInnis to his girlfriend, Tyelisha Voeltz. The couple lived together in the Fairviewneighbourhood of Halifax with four children.

Voeltz told the seven man, seven woman jury thatMcInnis left their home to drive a playmate of one of their daughters back to her mother's place on the night of Aug. 22, 2016. Voeltz expected McInnis to return home right away. When he didn't arrive by 10 p.m., she called McInnis.

Voeltztold the court something about their conversation "didn't seem right."She said McInnis told her he was going to sell a gold chain, bracelet and ring and he was sending his younger brother over to retrieve those items. Voeltz said she thought this was odd activity for late in the evening.

When shetried calling him back, thecall went straight to voicemail and Voeltzassumed his phone had died. Voeltzsaid she then called a second cellphone McInnisalways carried with him and he answered, telling her he'd be home soon.

Minutes later, Voeltz said McInnis's younger brothershowed up at the apartment to collect the gold items McInnis had said he wanted to sell.

"I knew something was wrong," Voeltz said, adding she couldn't sleep that night.

Voeltz told the court she never saw McInnis alive again. The next morning, she said, she was contacted by police.

The first three witnesses in the trial were police officers, including the duo who found the stolen car, a black Honda Civic, in the graveyard. They described cautiously opening the trunk where they discovered the body. They then called for backup and stood guard until the medical examiner and additional officers arrived.

Twenty days have been set aside for thetrial.