Aaron Easton had been dead for at least two hours before the emergency services arrived at the scene of the 1985 murder, the Supreme Court heard yesterday.

Dr. Paul De La Chevotiere's statement was read to the court to the six woman, six man jury yesterday and it said that Mr. Easton's body was already going into rigor-mortis when it was examined at 2.10 a.m. on May 4.

Dr. Keith Cunningham, who was a pathologist at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, read the autopsy report to the court.

The autopsy stated that Mr. Easton had not died from natural causes, that he suffered collapsed lungs, had 49 stab wounds, blood in both his lungs, and a fractured skull.

Dr. Cunningham estimated that Mr. Easton died at around midnight on May 4.

The former Government senior analyst, Alan Christopher Young's statements were also read to the court and he confirmed that the illegal substances and utensils for drugs were tested and he confirmed that there was cocaine, cannabis and other substances that were not illegal.

On Wednesday, a good friend of the man accused of the murder, Stanford (Monk) Archibald, said that he had driven to the house where Aaron Glen Easton was murdered a few hours later.

However, defence lawyer Larry Mussenden questioned Derrick Dill about how he remembered the events of May 3, 1985, when he gave a statement to the Police 18 months later on November 26, 1986.

Archibald, 38, formerly of Sandys, denied murdering Mr. Easton by stabbing him 49 times.

Mr. Easton's body was found in a pool of blood on Laffan Street, Pembroke on May 4, 1985.

Mr. Dill told court that he and Archibald had gone to town together in his blue Datsun.

He said Archibald had asked him to go to Euclid Avenue, Pembroke, and then they went to the house on Laffan Street.

Mr. Dill said Archibald went to the house for about ten minutes and he stayed in the car. Archibald then returned to the car, said no one was in, and he (Mr. Dill) then took him to Court Street.

He said the reason he remembered the date a year and a half later was because he went to a birthday party on Pond Hill, in Pembroke, on the same night.

Crown counsel Juan Wolffe asked Mr. Dill how Archibald walked.

“He had a bee bop type of walk back then. He was smooth in his movements,” said Mr. Dill.

The killer was described by Robert Herd, the only eyewitness, as being bowlegged with an unusual walk.

“Archibald's hair was closely cropped and he had no facial hair.”

Mr. Dill said they knew each other and often played football in the evenings after work and he had driven Archibald into Hamilton on numerous occasions, but this was the first time that they had gone to Laffan Street.

Mr. Dill said Archibald was carrying a crash helmet and a brown paper bag and was dressed in a camouflage jacket, but he could not remember what shoes or trousers he was wearing at the time.

In cross examination, Mr. Mussenden suggested to Mr. Dill that Police had led him back to the address on Laffan Street.

Mr. Dill said Police had driven him to the address and he told them that he had taken Archibald to the address.

“I automatically knew what they were talking about and they wanted to know what was my involvement in that area with Archibald,” said Mr. Dill.

Mr. Mussenden suggested that there was nothing remarkable about giving a lift to Archibald and said: “You had did it many times before.”

But, Mr. Dill said that he definitely remembered that evening because of the party, which was held in the building where the Seventh Day Adventist Church is on Pond Hill at present.

“It was how they (the Police) approached me about the third of May,” said Mr. Dill.

“And how I came to bring him to town.”

Prosecution witness Denis Simons also lived in the apartments on Laffan Street at the time of the murder.

Mr. Simons told the court that he had returned home at 1.45 a.m. and as he approached his door he saw something lying in the driveway. After he approached the body, he found that it was Aaron (Fish) Easton.

Mr. Simons said he thought that it was Albert (Poochy) Smith at first, but when he got closer he realised that it was Fish.

He said he immediately called out to Dennis (Pete) Peterson another person living in the flats and when he got no answer from him, he called out to Robert Herd, the only eyewitness of the attack.

He said Mr. Herd let him into his apartment and they telephoned the emergency services.

Mr. Simons told the jury that he had stepped very close to the body and probably did step in Mr. Easton's blood.

Mr. Pettingill asked Mr. Simons if the Police had examined the bottom of his shoes, but he said: “No, they only interviewed me in my apartment.”

On Tuesday, the defence had queried Mr. Rawlins on why had he not included the fact that Archibald come to his house in the other six statements.

However on Wednesday, Troy (Yankee Boy) Rawlins, who was a witness and a previous suspect, told the court that he had made a statement previously about Archibald coming to his apartment and that the statement he made last week Monday was only made because Police had told him that the original had gone missing.

The court also heard on Tuesday the man that had broken into Mr. Rawlins' apartment one month before the murder was not Michael (Squiggly) Dillas, but it was his uncle Robert Dillas, who was the previous tenant.

Defence lawyer Mark Pettingill is being assisted by Mr. Mussenden.

Representing the Crown is the DPP Kulandra Ratneser, who is being assisted by Crown counsel Juan Wolffe and Cindy Clarke.

The trial continues today before Acting Chief Justice Norma Wade-Miller.