Accused in Bosma death planned for 15 months to kill and burn a human being: Crown | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Accused in Bosma death planned for 15 months to kill and burn a human being: Crown

Original Publication Date May 24, 2016 - 1:05 AM

HAMILTON - Two accused killers planned for more than a year to steal a truck, abduct and kill its owner and burn the remains in an animal incinerator, the prosecution told a Hamilton jury on Tuesday.

"That was the plan that the two of you, working together, performed with chilling perfection," Crown attorney Craig Fraser suggested to Mark Smich who, with co-accused Dellen Millard, is charged with murder in the death of Tim Bosma.

The Hamilton father disappeared on May 6, 2013, after taking two strangers for a test drive in a truck he was trying to sell.

Smich, 28, of Oakville, Ont., and Millard, 30, of Toronto, have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in Bosma's death. The trial began nearly for months ago, and Millard has chosen not to testify.

Smich and Millard were excellent thieves and wouldn't have taken 15 months to come up with a plan to steal a truck, Fraser put to Smich, who has taken the stand in his own defence.

The victim would have been another man, Igor Tumenenko, but the pair was scared off during a test drive on May 5, 2013, by the man's build and his experience in the Israeli army, Fraser suggested, so Smich and Millard focused on Bosma, "the nice guy."

Smich denied those suggestions and repeated his version of events that it was Millard who shot Bosma in a botched truck robbery and burned his body. He said he had no part in Bosma's death, but helped clean up the bloody truck, conceal the incinerator — dubbed "The Eliminator" — and burn some of the evidence.

But Fraser pointed out disposing of the body in the incinerator was "a two-man job" in an exchange that brought Bosma's widow, Sharlene, to tears.

"Tim Bosma was six feet, 170 pounds, it took two of you to put Mr. Bosma in The Eliminator," Fraser said. "You have to get up on the trailer, on the platform, then you have to get the body — Mr. Bosma's body — inside."

"No sir," Smich replied.

Fraser guided the accused through Smich's own testimony that showed at least 10 deliberate acts to cover up the killing. Smich agreed he helped Millard cover up the crime by getting rid of evidence, which included burying the gun he said Millard used somewhere in a forest in Oakville, Ont.

The gun has never been found. Smich again told court he was terrified of his friend and did whatever he was told.

Smich said he spent several hours at Millard's hangar in Waterloo, Ont., the night after Bosma was killed, but couldn't remember what took place that night.

"You had to clean The Eliminator, right?" Fraser asked.

"No sir," Smich said.

"It was too hot from the night before, had to cool down and that's when you went back and cleaned out the remains of Tim Bosma — that's what you did, didn't you?" Fraser said.

"No sir," Smich said.

A forensic expert previously told court the incinerator had been cleaned out, but she managed to find dozens of small human bone fragments and two human bones.

Smich has previously testified that killing Bosma was never part of the plan.

Fraser, however, pointed to text messages between Smich and Millard in early 2012 in which they discuss guns and an incinerator.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2016
The Canadian Press

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