Investigators say the hammer used to kill a Kelowna man two years ago was found in a closet in the apartment the victim shared with the man on trial for his second-degree murder.
65-year-old Daniel Ruff is accused of killing his roommate, 51-year-old Warren Welters in June 2015. Welters was found deceased on his bed from blunt force trauma to the head.
Constable Ewan Dewolf testified that the hammer was found in a hallway closet. Three other items: a screwdriver, a flashlight, and a dumbbell were also seized from the apartment as potential murder weapons, but the victim’s autopsy concluded that the hammer caused the injuries.
Dewolf also testified that that there were dozens of empty beer cans in the kitchen and outdoor deck, including an empty 750mL bottle of vodka.
The jury heard last week that Ruff seemed intoxicated when officers arrived at the scene, shortly after reporting that he had discovered his dead roommate.
The crown alleges the two men fought frequently and that Ruff hit Welters with the hammer while he was sleeping.