When you follow a modern murder trial, you quickly see how digital footprints play a crucial role. Digital evidence took center stage Wednesday at the trial of a man charged with murdering two boys in Saint John. The Crown focused on data extracted from five electronic devices belonging to Roman Kamyshnyy. He faces two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of a boy aged 10 and a boy aged 17 inside a Saint John apartment early last year.

Kamyshnyy pleaded not guilty to the charges.

RCMP Details the Digital Footprint

Robert Faulkner serves as an examiner with the RCMP Digital Forensic Service and took the stand as the only Crown witness on Wednesday. According to a report from CTV News Atlantic, Faulkner spent the day walking the court through pictures, emails, videos, text messages, and screenshots. He concluded that all five devices, which included three cellphones, a laptop, and a tablet, belonged to Kamyshnyy.

Jurors received binders filled with images and messages to follow along with the timeline. The court viewed a video allegedly sent by Kamyshnyy on the morning of the killings. In the video, sent at 7:08 a.m., the accused speaks Russian directly into the camera. English subtitles reveal him saying that if anyone hears anything bad about him in the near future, it is most likely true.

Delayed Emails and Hardware Purchases

The prosecution also questioned Faulkner about an email sent from Kamyshnyy to his workplace. The message arrived at 1 p.m. on the day of the incident, hours after Saint John Police found the two boys dead. The email stated he was unable to work due to serious family issues. Faulkner explained that emails often have delayed send times if a user schedules them or if a device temporarily loses its internet connection.

The digital trail extended beyond messages. Faulkner testified that the laptop browser history showed visits to the Home Depot website in the days leading up to the killings. This connects to earlier testimony from Saint John Police Detective Constable Scott Prentice. Prentice told the court he tracked the purchase of a nail gun to the Saint John Home Depot location days before the incident. Prosecutors allege Kamyshnyy used this nail gun to attempt suicide on the morning of the murders.

A court ordered publication ban protects the identities of the two victims. A separate ruling allows the media to report the case involves alleged domestic violence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is on trial in this case?

Roman Kamyshnyy is on trial facing two counts of first degree murder in the deaths of two boys in Saint John.

What kind of evidence did the jury review?

The jury reviewed digital evidence from five devices. This included text messages, emails, browser history, and a video recorded by the accused on the morning of the incident.

Why are the names of the victims kept secret?

A court ordered publication ban prevents anyone from sharing information that identifies the two boys. This protects their privacy in cases involving alleged domestic violence.