Hamilton court sees surveillance video of brutal stick beating of woman in 2020

A man accused of brutally attacking random, unsuspecting people in Hamilton in 2020 is standing trial for first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.

The Crown says Keith Overholt is the man responsible for a murderous spree that took place in various areas of downtown Hamilton beginning the evening of Nov. 9, 2020.

Overholt has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.

The Crown alleges that within a span of seven hours, the attacker brutally beat a woman walking down the street at the corner of York Boulevard and Queen Street.

A responding police officer testified Wednesday that it was the most aggressive attack she had ever seen, after viewing the surveillance footage of the incident that night. The jury watched the video showing the woman being struck over the head with a large stick— she was hit 14 times and kicked once, the police officer said—before the attacker walked away.

The court also heard that a few hours after this attack, a man matching the suspect’s description was stopped by police and questioned. However, the officer testified that he did not have reasonable grounds to detain the man, who identified himself as Michael Cain, so he was let go.

Hours later, investigators allege the same man went on to stab 29-year-old Andrew Ainscow 37 times in an alley near James Street South. Ainscow died from his injuries, but the attacker continued. Minutes later, the Crown says, he swung his knife at another man. A witness honked his horn, and luckily, the suspect fled.

Keith Overholt’s trial by jury continues Thursday.