First police officer on scene testifies at Tess Richey murder trial

A Toronto Police constable briefly took the stand Monday in the trial for the man accused of killing 22-year-old Tess Richey.

On the third day of the Kalen Schlatter’s trial, Toronto Police Const. Christopher Chevalier was one of three witnesses called to testify by the prosecution.

Schlatter, 23, of Toronto, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the November 2017 death of Richey, 22, a woman the prosecution said he first encountered outside a drag bar in the city’s Church and Wellesley gay village.

Chevalier was a part of the Neighbourhood Community Response Unit in the area.

He testified that he and his partner had made it a priority to search for Richey after he had seen a missing persons flyer the day before.

Chevalier said he had been climbing the fire escape at a nearby home when he heard Richey’s mother scream, moments after she discovered her daughter’s body at the bottom of a stairwell.

He was radioed over to the location and found Richey’s mother on the sidewalk outside the home, before heading over to Richey’s body.

Chevalier said she “didn’t look like she was alive” and had gravel or dirt on her shirt.

The owner of a business beside where Richey’s body was found also testified Monday. William Ayers said he was in his shop with another customer when they heard a scream. They both ran out of the shop to find Richey’s mother and her friend outside.

Ayers was also on the scene when Const. Chevalier arrived.

Richey’s potential Uber driver also testified Monday, explaining how she had ordered an UberPool the night she died, but was labeled as a “no-show.”

Marlon Allamby explained how, for UberPool, a customer only has two minutes of “unofficial” wait time before a ride can be cancelled, but it is up to the discretion of the driver. It’s unknown how long Allamby waited before hitting the “Rider isn’t here” button.

Allamby said he couldn’t remember the night in question, but was shown images of the cancellation fee charged to Richey, along with the map of the location of where she was headed.

Court adjourned early on Monday as one of the jurors fell during the lunch break and hurt her knee and head. The trial will resume at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, but it’s still unknown whether the juror will continue or if a back-up juror will be called up.

Toronto police were criticized for their handling of the case, along with others in the city’s gay village, and the force has since launched a review of how it handles missing persons investigations. It was supposed to wrap last year but is now expected to finish next January.

Two police officers are facing internal disciplinary charges for their roles in Richey’s missing persons’ investigation, but their cases were put off until the criminal trial is resolved.