A total of 26 witnesses were called during the first session of the Desmond Fatality Inquiry in Guysborough.
Testimony took place on 17 days over 6 weeks before adjourning Monday.
Each witness called was involved with Lionel Desmond before, or was involved in the investigation after, he killed his wife, daughter, mother, and himself in their Upper Big Tracadie home in January 2017.
Witnesses who gave evidence include:
- The RCMP officer who first responded to the scene.
- The medical examiner who called for the inquiry.
- The doctor who treated Desmond in New Brunswick after he was released from a military clinic.
- The on-call psychiatrist who assessed Desmond during a mental health visit to the ER the day before.
- The therapist who was assessing Desmond in the months leading up to the incident, as well as speaking to him on the phone only hours before it.
- The man who sold Desmond the firearm on the same day he used it in the triple murder-suicide.
Monday was the first session’s last day, inquiry counsel now have time to review evidence and consider who they might call in the next session, set to begin in May.
