'Manual strangulation': Jury learns graphic details about injuries suffered by a Windsor mom

Autumn Taggart is shown in this handout photo from Windsor Police Service.

Windsor, Ont. -

The jury trial of Jitesh Bhogal, charged with first degree murder, continued in Windsor’s Superior Court on Friday.

Warning: This article contains graphic content.

He’s charged in connection with the death of Autumn Taggart, 31, who was killed in her University Avenue apartment on June 10, 2018.

Forensic Pathologist Dr. Elena Tugaleva has been on the stand since Thursday morning.

She conducted an initial autopsy on Taggart on June 11, and a re-examination the next day at London Health Sciences Centre.

Tugaleva told the jury Taggart suffered “multiple injuries involving various body parts,” but ruled the cause of death was “neck compression and suffocation.”

Tugaleva testified Taggart had “extensive” bruises “centered around the mouth and nose area”, which she believes were caused by “forceful penetration” of an object into Taggarts’ mouth.

She also told the jury the bruises on Taggarts neck were consistent with having an arm around her neck.

“I favour manual strangulation,” Tugaleva testified in regards to cause of death.

Peter Thorning, lawyer for the defence pointed out in cross-examination, that in most cases of strangulation, bones in the neck are broken.

Tugaleva testified all of Taggarts bones were in tact.

On numerous diagrams, Tugaleva drew dozens of bruises and numerous cuts over Taggarts’ body.

The vast majority of which, Tugaleva told the jury were “recent”.

Taggart also had several bruises and a few cuts on her hands, which Dr. Tugaleva was asked by Crown Attorney Kim Bertholet to explain.

“In this case, defensive posturing or some physical restraint cannot be excluded,” Tugaleva replied.

“When the victim is trying to prevent blows or stabs (to the face),” Tugaleva testified. “The hands get in the way of the blows or stables and so the hands get injured.”

Tugaleva testified it “would not require much force” to block a persons’ airways and cause them to stop breathing.

She likened it to the same amount of force as a “nice handshake.”

Tugaleva also testified Taggart had several bruises and a few small cuts in her genital area, but there were no internal injuries.

In his cross-examination Thorning asked Dr. Tugaleva to give more specific dates for when the bruises might have occurred.

Tugaleva testified its not an exact science, as bruises are caused by a number of factors, including how much force is applied, the area of the body and each individuals person’s ability to heal from an injury.

She testified use of the word “recent” could mean anything from hours up to no more than three days, prior to Taggarts’ death.

Tugaleva conceded many of the older bruises could have been caused by a previous fall by Taggart, or from someone grabbing her arms.

Tugaleva told the jury Taggart didn’t have any broken bones, specifically all of the bones on her face and nose were intact.

While explaining her work to the jury, Tugaleva spoke about the importance of limiting how much a body is moved or touched after it is discovered and before a forensic pathologist begins their examination, “to preserve evidence and prevent contamination.”

Forensic Identification Officer Const. John Lasorda previously testified that at the request of the coroner, Dr. Patrick Charron, they moved Taggart’s body to check her back for injuries, in her bedroom.

Charron told the jury he didn’t remember, specifically moving Taggarts’ body but admitted it would be a normal part of his examination to check for injuries on all sides of a victim’s body.

Tugaleva conceded to defence counsel that “theoretically”, the injuries to Taggarts genital area could have been self-inflicted.

Earlier this week, a toxicology report was provided to the jury from Rachelle Wallage, a scientist at the Centre of Forensic Sciences.

Wallage told the jury they tested two blood samples taken from Taggarts’ body.

In them, they found traces of codeine, acetaminophen, an anti-depressant and medicines for allergies or sleep aids.

Wallage told the jury all are considered at a “therapeutic range” and none would cause “toxicity” in Taggart’s body.

Sgt. Norman Armstrong of the Windsor Police Service testified on Wednesday.

He told the jury he was sent to 1382 University Ave. To determine if the death was “suspicious or natural causes”.

Armstrong says he spent just five minutes in Taggart’s bedroom before determining it was serious, told his officers to “lock it down” and contain the scene so a major crimes investigation could be launched.

On cross-examination Armstrong testified about a conversation he had with Taggarts’ son.

Police believe the boy was in the apartment at the time of the murder.

Armstrong told the jury he talked to the boy, tried to write all of his questions and the boys answers in his note book but admitted he did not record their conversation.

Eight weeks of court time have been set aside for this trial, which started with Opening Statements on Mon. Oct. 18.

Monday and Tuesday of this week were spent in legal arguments, which are subject to a publication ban.

In spite of this, Justice Renee Pomerance assured the 14-member jury this week, the trial is still on schedule.

The jury will be recalled on Tuesday as the trial resumes.