Badgerow defence started today

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Robert Badgerow’s lawyer began his defence case today in Kitchener. The Hamilton man is accused of killing Diane Werendowicz in 1981

This is the fourth time Badgerow’s faced these charges, but today another man, who was once once considered an alternate suspect in the case, testified.

Robert Badgerow’s lawyer told the jury this morning his client did have sex with Diane Werendowicz before she was killed, but it was consensual. He says Badgerow did not rape her or kill her. He met her, smoked a joint and had sex with her in the back of his car. When she left, she was still alive.

The first witness for the defense was Robert Hunt, whose sister, Tammy, married Badgerow in 1982. The jury saw yearbook photos. Tammy was most often seen in the halls with her muscle man, and was expected to marry her “Pudgie bear.” Badgerow had long hair parted in the middle, and was on the football and wrestling teams.

“I got information about how that girl was killed.”

Badgerow has been identified by several people as the voice calling 911 two days after Werendowicz was found, giving police details of the crime that had never been released.

But Hunt doesn’t think that’s Badgerow’s voice.

“I thought his voice was raspier.” he told the court.

Brian Miller then took the stand. He spoke of several sex assaults he committed from 1986-91, mostly on strangers in parking garages and elevators. But he says “absolutely not,” he did not rape or kill Diane Werendowicz.

His former roommate told police he thought it was Brian Miller’s voice on the 911 call. But Miller worked at Stelco, not Dofasco, where the 911 call was traced by police back to Gate 6 in 1981.

This was the first day Robert Badgerow’s lawyer gave evidence, but he says he will call several witnesses to say Robert Badgerow did not kill Diane Werendowicz, including Badgerow himself.