‘I was scared’: accused’s mother testifies at trial

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This article was published 13/01/2020 (2251 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hours after prosecutors allege he killed 22-year-old Crystal Andrews, Michael Okemow turned up unexpectedly at his parents’ home and promptly washed his clothes, a Thompson court heard Monday.

Myrna Okemow told court her son arrived at her God’s Lake First Nation residence around 4 p.m., “wet from the waist down.”

Michael, who was not living with his parents, “went upstairs, took a shower and changed his clothes and went downstairs and washed his clothes,” Myrna Okemow said.

“Did Michael typically do laundry at your house?” asked Crown attorney Ari Millo.

“No,” she said.

Michael Okemow, 39, is on trial charged with second-degree murder in the Nov. 8, 2015, killing.

Prosecutors allege Andrews was walking home from a Halloween party when she crossed paths with Okemow, who drove her to the community’s west winter road and killed her.

Myrna Okemow said before her son showed up that day, she had earlier received a call from a band councillor who said her Ford Escape SUV had been found in the west end of the community. She said police showed up at her door that day looking for Michael in connection to a complaint he had tried to run somebody over.

Court has heard testimony Michael Okemow was involved in a fight early that morning, and drove his vehicle at two people when they intervened.

Myrna Okemow testified she left the house as her son washed his clothes. “I was scared of Michael, the police were looking for him,” she said.

When she returned a half-hour later, he was gone, she said. He returned a short time later, wearing different clothes and shoes, his mother said.

Myrna Okemow said when police returned and took her son away for questioning, she searched the basement and found his clothes stashed in a box.

She said she later received a phone call from her niece saying Andrews was missing and people were saying Michael Okemow “had something to do with it.”

“I was very scared and started wondering why he was doing these things,” she said.

A month later, police executed a search warrant at the home and found the accused’s shoes hidden in a crawlspace.

The trial continues.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca