‘He was covered head to toe in blood,’ police officer says in Saskatoon murder trial

The first emergency responder at the scene of Arden Panipekeesick’s death says she arrived to find the man who called police frantically waving her down on the street, saying, “He’s inside. He’s dying.”

Const. Erin Anthony, who was responding to an injured person call while patrolling alone, said she followed the man into the house and could smell blood.

Panipekeesick, 48, died of a gunshot wound in the early hours of Feb. 10, 2024, in the Saskatoon home he shared with his wife, their two children and friends.

Katlim Desjarlais-Kelly, 23, is on trial for second-degree murder.

In her testimony Thursday, Anthony said that when she entered the home, Panipekeesick was in the back of the house, slumped over a washing machine, leaning on his wife, Eva Pritchard, who was trying to stop the bleeding and screaming for help.

Anthony said blood covered their clothes, the walls and the floor.

“He was covered head to toe in blood,” she said.

She said that based on the amount of blood around Panipekeesick, she knew his injuries were severe.

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Anthony testified that Pritchard was trapped under Panipekeepick and she had to move him into the kitchen to begin CPR.

She saw a large bullet wound on his neck and knew he would likely die.

Anthony traded off performing chest compressions with the man who called 911 until other officers arrived.

Once police began their investigation, she stayed in the kitchen.

“I didn’t want to contaminate the scene,” she said. “I was covered pretty much head to toe with the victim’s blood.”

The trial is expected to continue this week.