“There is someone dead, and I am unarmed.”
That was the chilling sentence repeated several times during the 911 call, on the night of September 8th, 2013.
That was the night the body of 20 year old, Orangeville local Alex Fraser was found dismembered and stuffed into duffle bags at the Travelodge Hotel at 800 Exeter Rd.
The caller, who identifies himself as 22 year old James McCullough then says, “I’m giving myself up, so just come arrest me.”
As the dispatcher pushes for further information, he asks “does he have any injuries?”
The sound that came next is nearly as chilling as the trial itself – a laugh. A laugh as McCullough continues, “yup, he’s dead.”
Searching further for clarity, the dispatcher continues, “should I send an ambulance, just in case?”
“No, no. He’s full on dead,” McCullough continues. He estimates to the dispatcher that Fraser has been dead for about 4-6 hours.
The call came sometime before 8 p.m., before responding officers arrived at the hotel.
Constable John Dance testified in a London court room yesterday, that when officers arrived on scene they passed by 2 adults outside – later presumed to be the accused’s parents – then headed to the room in question – room 326. They were interrupted however, by a young man in a black shirt and black and gray pajama pants.
After running towards the responding officers, the man proceeded to drop to his knees, where he then raised his hands and said “arrest me now – there’s a dead body in my room.”
Cst. Dance and Officer Milan Kukolj then continued to the room, while Constable Matthew Vanderidder stayed with the man, who officers described as being “erratic and a little frantic.”
When Dance and Kukolj arrived to room 326, Officer Kukolj says he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. The room looked “a little untidy” but nothing struck him as “out of the ordinary.”
During the second search of the hotel room, Kukolj says there were 2 duffle bags in the corner that caught his attention.
He says he approached the bag, opened it and found inside the torso of a human body.
Meanwhile at 8:22 p.m., on the main floor of the hotel, Constable Matthew Vanderidder is told of the human remains and proceeds to arrest the man, identified as fellow Orangeville local, James McCullough. Vanderidder testified that McCullough was fidgety and seemed nervous, as he escorted him into the back of his police cruiser.
At 8:23 p.m. McCullough asks Vanderidder “to roll down the window of the cruiser, so he could say goodbye to his mother.”
McCollough was then transported for holding.
Week one of the trial is adjourned until Monday at 10 a.m. The trial is expected to last 4 weeks.
