Kevin Lee Barrett, 60.

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Alexandria Davies was driving along a remote West Kelowna logging road with her boyfriend April 29, 2019 when she saw a lone figure, clearly in distress.

“About 500 metres off the road to the left we saw Eleanor Holmes, covered with blood sitting by the skid steer,” Davies told Kelowna court today, Jan. 19, adding later that she learned Holmes’s name in the aftermath of that sighting.

“(Peter Hunt) slammed on brakes, and reversed … he thought it was a guy covered in blood and realized she was an elderly woman.”

Crown counsel is trying to prove that Kevin Lee Barrett — Holmes’s son — had attempted to kill the 79-year-old with a vicious beating and then leaving her for dead in the remote area. On the charges of aggravated assault and attempted murder, Barrett pleaded not guilty.

Davies said Holmes wasn’t wearing shoes or a jacket, on what was a chilly night, but that was less remarkable than the elderly woman’s physical condition.

“(She had) blood all over, her eye was completely shut, hair missing from her hair — it was just a bloodbath,” she said.

When Hunt tried to find out what happened, Holmes told him “her son had tried to kill her,” Davies said.

The boyfriend then got into his truck, drove back 500 metres from where they came, so they could get some cell service, and called 911.

As Hunt spoke to 911, Davies cleared out the truck so she could move to the backseat and Holmes could in the front.

Once she was in the car, Davies said she got a better look at the injuries she’d sustained and assessed her mental state.

“She was extremely confused, she was in a lot of pain,” Davies said.

From her position in the back seat, Davies said that Holmes’s right eye was “right mangled” and her hair had “blood all over.”

“Her (left) hand was swollen and extremely bloody. There was blood everywhere.”

They drove her to where Westside Road and Bear Main Road meet, and an ambulance was waiting, and they saw her off.

In the time that’s passed, Davies said she’s seen her a couple of times. They’re just acquaintances but said Holmes is “a sweet little lady.”

Also testifying today was Cpl. Vince Reddecopp, who saw Holmes after she’d been checked in to the hospital as part of his investigation.

At 11:30 p.m. April 29, he saw Holmes laying in a hospital bed, face and head exposed.

Even then her face was covered in dried blood, her head and scalp had dried blood on it, one of her eyes had swollen shut.

“It was big and purple,” he said. 

Her hands were also exposed and he noticed a bit of blood on them, as well.

The next day, he went to mobile home Holmes called home and collected a wide array of evidence, including a hammer, jackets, multiple swabs, shoes and shoe polish.

Barrett is in custody and was arrested days after the assault.

While the Crown counsel Patricial O’Neil said in opening statements that he was prone to mood swings, it’s yet to become clear what would have motivated the type of attack he’s being accused of committing. In addition to today’s witnesses, O’Neil has thus far called witnesses who say they saw Holmes in the car with Barrett, and those who saw her in the aftermath.

O’Neil expects to continue calling evidence until next week. At that time defence lawyer Jordan Watt can call evidence.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Steven Wilson is presiding over the trial.

To read about day one of the trial, follow this link.

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