THUNDER BAY - The same day the body of 18-year-old Brayden Moonias was found on a beach near Marina Park in 2017, Patrick O’Keese was interviewed by police and while he denied being with him the previous evening, he did share details about his relationship with him.
“He was a good friend,” O’Keese said during the interview. “I wish he was still here, man.”
On day four of the second-degree murder trial against O’Keese for his alleged role in the 2017 death of Moonias, Staff Sgt. Jason Anderson with the Thunder Bay Police Service and lead investigator, testified in court.
According to Anderson, Moonias’ body, which was discovered on the beach near the Marina Park overpass and McVicar Creek on the morning of Aug. 6, 2017, was identified with the help of medical records indicating a recent stab wound on his arm, as well as his stepmother confirming he was missing part of his thumb.
Police also received information that day to speak with O’Keese, who knew Moonias, and arrangements were made with his father to meet police for an interview.
During the approximately 20-minute interview on Aug. 6, Anderson questioned O’Keese about any interaction he had with Moonias the previous day on Aug. 5.
O’Keese said he had seen Moonias briefly earlier in the day before seeing him again at Brandon Yesno’s residence on Machar Avenue in the afternoon. He said he then returned home, adding he did not see Moonias again on Aug. 5.
O’Keese described his relationship with Moonias as ‘pretty tight,’ adding they had known each other since they were kids.
Anderson asked O’Keese if he knew of anyone harassing or threatening Moonias, who had previously testified in a court proceeding several weeks earlier and also suffered a stab wound days before Aug.5. O’Keese said he was not aware of anyone threatening or harassing Moonias and while he knew about the stabbing, Moonias did not share any details.
At one point during the interview, Anderson asked O’Keese about an injury on his hand. O’Keese said he punched a brick wall, adding that he has anger issues.
Defense counsel Kevin Matthews said during cross-examination that O’Keese wasn’t being argumentative or evasive during the interview and his statements remained internally consistent.
While Anderson agreed that he was not being argumentative, he did describe him as evasive, pointing out that this was just a witness statement and not an interrogation, therefore his statements were not challenged.
Matthews then asked if O’Keese was considered a suspect or person of interest following that interview.
“He wasn’t a person of interest immediately after the interview,” Anderson said. “We had to collect more evidence before that came to pass.”
Matthews asked if any other suspects were identified throughout the course of the investigation and if the person responsible for stabbing Moonias could also have been responsible for his murder.
Anderson said he did review the report into the stabbing, but no information was provided by Moonias on who may have been responsible or where it happened. He added that a suspect is someone who has been identified and the person who stabbed Moonias could be considered an unidentified person of interest.
Matthews also questioned Anderson about other people who may have been in the area of the Marina Park overpass the night of Aug. 5, including one individual who did place himself there with Moonias, though according to earlier testimony by Sgt. Clark McKever, that information was not deemed credible.
Matthews asked if it would make more sense to investigate that individual further because his statements were so inconsistent.
“It would depend on what that information was,” Anderson said. “If there were any investigative steps to confirm or deny that information. It’s a very fluid situation. I couldn’t give you a yes or no answer.”
The trial will continue on Monday with the Crown expected to conclude its case on Tuesday.
