The 30-year-old man, accused of the murder of Angelo D'Onofrio confused with the man of honor of the Montreal mafia Antonio Vanelli, testified for his defense yesterday and today.
Lufiau is suspected of having made a mark with ... (PHOTO PROVIDED BY POLICE) - image 2.0 Enlarge Lufiau is suspected of having made a mark with his car, a gray Nissan Maxima 2011
PHOTO PROVIDED BY POLICE
Lufiau is believed to have spotted his car, a gray Nissan Maxima 2011, before the murder, and to have driven the shooter, Jeff Joubens Theus, already convicted of murder after a jury trial.
Before testifying, Lufiau submitted motions that his car could have been occupied by one of his friends, Vladimir Laguerre, or an acquaintance, Jordy Milius, at the time of the crime.
Judge Daniel Royer of the Superior Court allowed the motions declaring admissible the proof that Laguerre or Milius "could have participated in the murder of Mr. D'Onofrio" by carrying out, for the first, of the locating before the crime and by driving, for the second, the vehicle at the moment of flight.
Several mafia names evoked
The evidence surrounding these two motions revealed that on September 21, 2016, Milius and Theus were arrested near the residence of the parents of a mafia-related individual, Erasmo Crivello. The police found a gun in Milius's car and a picture of Crivello in his wallet.
As regards Laguerre, the evidence shows that he was arrested at the wheel of Lufiau's car on the first day of August 2016, the day on which an individual linked to the mafia, Marco Pizzi, was the victim of an attempted murder.
During his testimony, Lufiau told Judge Royer that in June 2016, Vladimir lodged him and he lent him his car four or five times, but he did not remember the exact dates.
"I am not convinced that he did not participate in the crime," he replied during a close cross-examination.
Faced with the fact that a toque containing his DNA was found within hours of the murder, among half-burned clothes and a license plate, Lufiau said he did not recognize woolen cloth. He suggested, however, that the toque could have been in his car and that someone to whom he had lent his vehicle could have carried it.
He further stated that in June 2016, he did not go to Theus.
But during his strong against-examination, M e Katerine Brabant pummeled the witness with conversations captured by the police, making it particularly noticed that he was not very angry against Theus and Laguerre, while, defends-t- he, they would have used his car to commit murder.
The prosecutor also pointed out that he spoke in code and used the letter "M" to speak of murder.
"Yes, it's because I was selling pot," said Lufiau.
"And M, it's always been used for the word murder. It happens often, by people around me. It's urban language. There are even some who say that TM is for attempted murder, "he also explained.
In a March 23, 2017 conversation with Theus's wife, Lufiau gasps when she tells him that an investigator has come to see her and told him that there is a remote camera. "The investigator told you about a car? Lufiau worried.
The trial continues tomorrow with a short debate on a motion and the pleadings of both parties.
Recall that Lufiau had begun to stand trial with Theus but had to withdraw because of health problems. The trial resumed where it was rendered in his case, but before judge alone this time.
