A Calgary man has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Susan Elko at her southwest condo in 2014.
Police were called to a residence in the 200 block of Holy Cross Lane S.W. at about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2014 where they found the body of a woman.
The woman was identified as 39-year-old Susan Elko and an autopsy determined that she died as a result of a stabbing.
Scott Monroe Ferguson, 26, was arrested a short time later and charged with second-degree murder in Elko’s death.
Ferguson and Elko had been in a relationship and investigators deemed her death to be a domestic-related homicide.
On Monday, Ferguson pleaded not guilty to the charge.
In the Crown’s opening statement, Lawyer Jonathan Hak told the court that the couple had been together for a year and had a love-hate relationship.
He said that the couple argued about money and that Elko told friends, just weeks before her death, that Ferguson was moving out.
Hak said Elko told Ferguson he had until the end the month to leave and that he did not take the news well.
He said the couple got into an argument the day of the murder and that Ferguson attacked Elko with a knife she had given him for his birthday.
The Crown stated that Elko was stabbed in the neck ten times and that she suffered ‘horrific injuries' and ‘never had a chance.’
Hak told the jury that Ferguson then went to a 7-Eleven and called 911 saying that he had killed his girlfriend.
The Crown says it will take about a week to present its case and the court will hear from a number of witnesses including; a neighbour, police, friends of the victim and a tech crime expert.
The case is being heard by a 12 member jury and is scheduled for two weeks.
