An Alberta prosecutor says the man accused in the death of Victoria Shachtay in November 2011 built a pipe bomb to kill her because he lost all of her money.
Shachtay was killed after a package delivered to her Innisfail townhouse exploded on the doorstep.
Brian Malley was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in May of 2012 in connection to her death and was later released on bail.
On Monday, Crown prosecutor, Anders Quist, said in his opening statement that the single mother had won a settlement of $575,000 after being paralyzed in a car crash.
Malley, 57, invested the money, along with another $200,000 he advised Shachtay to take out as a loan, Quist said. But instead of helping her savings grow, Malley lost it all and was making payments to her from his own account.
"He was going into debt to keep her going," said Quist. "He killed her to cut his losses."
Malley pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder, causing an explosion and sending a person an explosive device.
Malley’s attorney, Bob Aloneissi, says his client had no reason to kill her and that someone else was out to get her or her family.
Prosecutors say Malley's DNA was found on paper taped to the bomb and that he owned or purchased many of the items used to make it in the months leading up to Shachtay's death.
Aloneissi said his client was an avid hunter who also did home renovation work, so he had reason to have some of those supplies.
The trial is being held in Red Deer and is expected to last six weeks.
(With files from The Canadian Press)
