By Canadian Press

Kalen Schlatter testifies he did not kill or sexually assault Tess Richey

Mar 9, 2020 | 12:04 PM

TORONTO — A Toronto man accused of sexually assaulting and strangling a young woman says she was alive when he left her following a consensual sexual encounter.

Kalen Schlatter, 23, took the stand this morning and gave his account of what happened the night Tess Richey went missing in November 2017.

Schlatter, who has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, says he and Richey were “making out” for about 40 minutes but did not have sex because she was on her period.

He says he offered to stay with her afterwards but she told him he could leave, so he did.

The 22-year-old woman’s body was discovered in stairwell days later by her mother and a family friend. 

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Court has seen security footage that showed Schlatter and Richey walking down an alley together the night she disappeared, then Schlatter emerging alone about 45 minutes later.

The trial has also heard Schlatter’s DNA was on Richey’s pants and inside her bra.

Defence lawyers have raised questions about another man seen on security video from the area that night.

Jurors heard last week from Schlatter’s former cellmate, a longtime criminal who said Schlatter confessed to strangling Richey with a scarf after she refused to have sex with him.

The Crown is expected to cross-examine Schlatter on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 9, 2020.

The Canadian Press