“It breaks my heart all the time,” said Iluminada Balaquit. He spoke on the afternoon of the first day of the trial of Kyle Pietz, who was 35 years old when he was charged in March 2021 with manslaughter for the death of 59-year-old Eduardo Balaquit. On June 4, 2018, Eduardo Balaquit disappeared. His body was never found and there is no DNA evidence linking Pietz to his death. Lawyer Vanessa Gama, speaking Monday morning, told the 14-member jury that the evidence presented at the trial would show that Balaquit was dead and that Pietz was responsible. “This is a case of a man driven by the despair and desperate measures he took on June 4, 2018 that cost Eduardo Balaquit his life,” Gama said. Pietz pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent. During the hearing he sat behind the Crown and the defense attorneys, with short dark hair and wearing a black hooded sweater and a black T-shirt with a collar.
Consistency and routine
In its inaugural statement, Gama said Balaquit’s life “consistently and routinely” left its mark on police after his disappearance on the night of June 4, 2018 – and that trail led directly to Pietz. This trail included a mysterious journey to Arborg, Man., And back on the night of Balaquit’s disappearance. Two of his debit cards were placed at 7-11 Ellice Avenue, with the correct PIN, and the money was withdrawn. “This is a case of financial despair,” Gama told the jury. Gama contrasts the characters of Balakit and Pietz. Balaquit was a hard-working man who had his own cleaning company while working in a full-time job he had for more than 20 years, he said. Pietz, on the other hand, was “going out of control.” “By June 4, 2018, payments were skyrocketing, creditors were calling and he had no money in his bank account. For Kyle Pietz, the finances were sharp,” Gama said.
Burglary and theft
One of the companies Balaquit cleared was Westcon Equipment on Keewatin Street, where Gama said Pietz worked in the past. On April 24, 2018, there was a break at Westcon and $ 1,700 was deducted from a small cash box. Pietz’s fingerprint was found on a booklet used to attach the lock to the building, Gama said. Shortly after the burglary, Pietz stopped appearing at work. On June 4, 2018, Balaquit went to clean the offices in Westcon. That same day, near closing time, an employee noticed Pietz’s vehicle circling around the building, Gama said. “Mr. Balaquit entered his alarm code at 6:05 p.m. “It has never been seen or heard before,” said Gama. Police spoke to Pietz the day after Balaquit’s disappearance. Pietz told police he was with Balaquit, Gama said. Pietz became a suspect and police searched his home. They found crucial evidence of what happened to Balaquit the night he went missing, Gama said.
Unanswered QUESTION
Although the Crown says their evidence will show who was responsible for Balaquit’s death and when, where and why it happened, they may not show how he died, Gama said. In addition to his wife, the court heard Balaquit’s two adult sons, Edward and Irwin Balaquit. Irwin Balaquit told the court that he sometimes helped his father clean up Westcon, but that he had never heard of Pietz. He said it was not like his father was not calling if he was going home late, and his family started looking after he did not return. The next day, he found his father’s van with the co-driver’s window broken. Crown’s lawyers asked all three family members if they ever knew Balaquit would give his PINs to strangers or give money to strangers, and they all said no. Eduardo’s wife, Iluminada Balaquit, said her husband had no history of mental health problems, no medical problems and had never been missing before. “He was always happy,” he said. “You will never see him down.” Balaquit was a devoted family man who always celebrated birthdays and anniversaries and prepared for their son Edward’s wedding before he disappeared. This month would mark the 42nd anniversary of their marriage, he said. The trial is expected to last six weeks.
