Preliminary begins in Lake Street slaying

A judge began hearing testimony Monday at the preliminary hearing for a young Sault Ste. Marie man charged in the slaying of a middle-age woman in August 2013.

The inquiry, which is scheduled for five days, will determine if there is enough evidence to try Jonathan Townsend, 19, on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Corellie Bonhomme.

The body of the 42-year-old woman, who had no fixed address, was found August 8 in the apartment of a building in the 300 block of Lake Street.

At the time, city police said she had been stabbed and an edged weapon had been seized.

Ontario Court Justice John Kukurin imposed a publication ban Monday on any evidence heard during the preliminary hearing at the courthouse.

He heard from five witnesses, including three city police officers, called by assistant Crown attorney Nancy Komsa.

Townsend, then 18, who resided at 379 Lake Street, Apartment G9, was initially charged with second-degree murder.

But police upgraded the charge in September 2013 after receiving information that resulted in investigators travelling to Kokomo, Ind. 

The officers met with Kokomo police and a 12-year-old girl was subsequently charged with aiding, inducing or causing murder in relation to the Sault homicide.

Defence lawyer, Jennifer Tremblay-Hall, is representing Townsend at the hearing which continues through Friday.

(PHOTO: The city police mobile command unit sits in the parking lot at 379 Lake Street in this 2013 file photo. SooToday)