Sylvester Calmly Talks About Decomposing Body At Alicia Ross Murder Trial

A startling new revelation at the trial of the man accused of killing 25-year-old Alicia Ross may either bolster the accused’s contention that he hadn’t planned the crime – or show him to be simply a dumb criminal. The evidence in question came from a York Regional Police officer, who testified in a Newmarket court Tuesday that self-confessed killer Daniel Sylvester left his wallet in a pair of blood stained shorts he dumped along with Ross’ body north of York Region.

That’s what the jury heard. But what they saw may prove even more damning.

The panel watched a painful video of Sylvester leading police on a tour of two gravesites where he left the young woman’s body. He’s admitted killing Ross and burying her body in Manila, Ontario and later in Coboconk. The video is filled with disturbing details about how his victim’s remains had decomposed when he came back to move them, but it may be his affect that speaks louder than his words. Sylvester delivers them all in a very calm, deliberate tone that belies none of the gruesome subject matter he’s telling police about.

His next-door neighbour disappeared on August 16, 2005, after saying goodbye to her boyfriend, Sean Hine. Hine was under heavy suspicion for more than a month, after being the last person to see his girlfriend alive. The publicity and stress of having to clear his name was overwhelming and he finally fled Canada for Florida.

That’s where he appeared via videolink Tuesday, telling the court he knew something was wrong when he didn’t hear from Alicia in the morning. He was so worried, he left work in the middle of the day and drove to Ross’ home, where he discovered broken glass and her shoes on the ground outside. That’s when he called 911. 

Sylvester’s efforts to plead guilty to manslaughter were rejected last week and the Crown has charged him with second degree murder – a felony that implies he intended to kill Ross.