A St. Thomas courtroom heard Monday that 22-year-old Caitlin Jennings was in a relationship with a man who was almost 30 years older. But in July 2023 it all came crashing down when her beaten and lifeless body was found inside her boyfriend’s house at 562 Kingsway Ave. in London. London police would arrest and charge David Norman Yates, who is now 53 years old. The Crown outlined its case in the opening address with Cara Douglas telling the court how Jennings was found. “Multiple blunt force trauma injuries were sustained as a result of multiple blows,” she said. “Ms. Jennings was left with over 50 semi-circular abrasions with fractures to the skull, her jaw, ribs, forearms and her fingers.” Douglas went on to tell the court, “It is the Crown’s theory that Mr. Yates used objects including a hammer or hammers and beat Ms. Jennings to death.” Then she referred to a phrase found in a notebook at the house saying, “In his own words Mr. Yates wrote that he killed his best friend.” The Crown said, “Realizing what he had done, he contemplated suicide, when that failed, he called 911 and essentially confessed to what he did. He did not act in self-defence.” That 911 call was the first piece of evidence entered as an exhibit at the trial and when it was played Yates could be heard saying from his home, “I hurt my best friend.” The 911 operator asks, “Is she breathing? And he responds, “No.” When he’s asked to check on Jennings, Yates tells her, “No I can’t look at her, this is the worst-case scenario.” Yates has pled not guilty to second-degree murder. However, at the outset he offered to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter but that was rejected by the Crown and the trial got underway. Much of the morning was taken up with legal arguments over whether the family and friends of the victim can appear in the courtroom with signs, photos and t-shirts in support of Jennings. In the end Justice Joseph Perfetto ruled that they must refrain from doing so saying, “This is a very long trial, and we need to remember decorum.” Jennings’ father Dan, who came down from Sault Ste Marie to attend, said, “To me, to be here is to be her voice.” The trial is slated to last three weeks.
