Calgary murder trial hears from undercover officers in deaths of mother, toddler
The trial of a man who admitted to killing his girlfriend but not her young daughter heard Thursday about an undercover police operation that helped find their bodies in a shallow grave west of Calgary.
Robert Leeming, 36, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Jasmine Lovett and not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 22-month-old Aliyah Sanderson.
The mother and toddler were reported missing in April 2019 after they didn't show up for a family dinner. Leeming was initially arrested as a suspect but released without charges.
Court heard that a few weeks later, two undercover officers, working as part of Operation Highwood, approached Leeming on a street.
"The approach I made with him is that there's a bag of evidence that was found by a nosy neighbour and I'm telling him it's something he may want to take care of," testified one of the officers, who cannot be identified.
"I'm putting myself in a position with him to help him."
The officer said he and the other officer told Leeming they recognized him because of the media attention he had garnered as a suspect, and how the evidence "might be important to him."
The three men visited outside a coffee shop and had beers at a pub before the officers suggested they go to "the shop," a covert location where they could talk more freely.
Leeming agreed.
Robert Leeming, 34, has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her 22-month-old daughter, Aliyah Sanderson."He was very relaxed, jovial in fact at times," testified the officer. "We were sharing stories back and forth and having a bit of a laugh throughout. He was more than comfortable going to the shop at that point."
The officer said they made a number of stops and ended up in Kananaskis Country. Then they took Leeming back to Calgary.
At some point, court heard, Leeming confided to the officers the location of the bodies.
Lovett and the child had been buried and covered with mulch, twigs and dirt at a day-use site in the Kananaskis area.
A medical examiner earlier testified that Lovett had skull fractures and had been shot in the head. Aliyah died of blunt force head trauma.
A digital forensics expert also testified that searches for "free mulch Calgary" had been deleted from Leeming's computer.
There were also messages on the computer between Leeming and Lovett talking about moving in together in October 2018. The trial heard the couple had met on a dating app a month before.
"'So if you're really 100 per cent on doing this I need to know cause I feel like I want to make that next step with you," wrote Lovett.
"So you think you wanna be with me forever? LOL,'' Leeming replied.
"LOL. Yah well it's going to be a new experience for both of us,'' Lovett said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.