Tyler Pratt was killed by a gunshot to the chest, but he would not have died immediately, a forensic pathologist testified Tuesday.
Dr. Andrew Williams could not say exactly how long it took Pratt to die after being shot upwards of six times at an industrial property in Stoney Creek Feb. 28, 2021. It was more than a minute or two, but not likely an hour or two.
“Many minutes is the best I can say,” he told the jury at the ongoing trial.
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Oliver Karafa and Lucy Li are charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder for the shooting of Pratt and his girlfriend, Jordyn Romano, who survived being shot in the heart. Karafa is the alleged shooter. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Williams detailed the six bullet wounds he examined during Pratt’s autopsy following the shooting at 347 Arvin Ave. Three were from bullets that went clean through his arm, one went through the back of his neck and out near his ear, and another was a graze-type wound on his chin that may have been caused by the same bullet that struck his chest.
All but the chest wound only went through soft tissue. But it was the gunshot to the chest, which struck his left lung and then lodged in his back that was fatal. Williams said he found 2.2 litres of blood in Pratt’s left chest.
Blood on hood of an Audi Q5.
court exhibit
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Toxicology also showed low amounts of methadone in his blood, but that did not contribute to Pratt’s death, Williams said. The amount was consistent with people who take methadone as therapy for opioid dependency, but it also could have been taken recreationally.
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Court also heard several agreed statements of facts Tuesday from experts from the Centre for Forensic Sciences.
Among the agreed facts are that Pratt’s blood was found on the hood of the Audi Q5 that Li and Karafa allegedly arrived at the scene in, and from the centre console of Romano and Pratt’s Range Rover. His blood was also found on the lower right leg of a pair of grey track pants seized by police and bullets found at the scene.
A pair of grey track pants found in garbage bag of evidence with blood drops.
court exhibit
Both Romano and Pratt’s DNA was found on masks found in a garbage bag of evidence that was dumped in a recycling bin at a general store in Port Carling, where police also fond Li’s Mercedes abandoned.
Both the Audi and Range Rover were also found abandoned and damaged following the shooting. Court heard analysis of paint transfers on those vehicles were also studied. Green paint found on the Audi was likely from a structure at 347 Arvin and white paint at Arvin was likely from the Audi. Green paint on the Range Rover was not from Arvin.
Bullets collected at the scene were found to have been fired from the same gun, court heard. And cartridge casings found at the scene were all fired from a nine-millimetre Luger handgun, but it could not be determined whether the same gun was used.
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Bullet and shell casings found at 347 Arvin Ave.
court exhibit
And finally, London Life insurance has no record of an application for a $1.5-million life insurance policy for Jordyn Romano.
Court previously heard that police seized the life insurance application. Romano testified that she believed Li was finalizing that policy the day after the shooting, when they were also to be reimbursed $470,000 from Karafa from an investment in a European personal protective equipment business.
Li told police that she wanted nothing to do with Romano and Pratt — a drug dealer — and that there was no meeting planned for Monday. She said anticipated telling Romano the life insurance policy would be rejected.
Williams was the last witness for the Crown. Defence is expected to call evidence starting Thursday.
Nicole O’Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com
Nicole O’Reilly is a reporter with The Hamilton Spectator specializing in covering police, crime and the justice system. Reach her at noreilly@thespec.com.
