Defence lawyer: Crime scene in Samson murder compromised

HALIFAX – The defence lawyer for a Dalhousie University medical student charged with first-degree murder said on Wednesday the alleged murder scene at his client’s apartment has been, “severely compromised.”

William Sandeson, 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Taylor Samson, who police believe was the victim of a drug rip on Aug 15.

Defence lawyer Eugene Tan appeared in Halifax Provincial Court on Sandeson’s behalf Wednesday morning, where he said he was still waiting for disclosure from the Crown, and had the case pushed until Sept 24.

Tan said he was shocked when he went to visit his client’s Henry Street apartment on Sunday to find it in the process of a full renovation, which he said hinders his ability to independently assess the scene where police believe the 22-year-old physics student was killed.

“The floor has been replaced, drywall has been put in place, so there’s essentially nothing we can gain from an independent investigation,” Tan said outside the courtroom.

He stopped short of calling it fatal to the Crown’s case, but said it, “really prejudices the defence to essentially have a different version of what happened.”

“I’m hoping they will provide us with the original forensic evidence, videotape evidence if they have it, photographs … I’m going to be commissioning my own experts in order to review it.”

Tan said he knows Sandeson personally, having previously coached him in track, and called him a, “fine young man.”

He said he was confident evidence police said they’ve located during a search of Sandeson’s family home in Truro will be irrelevant to the Samson case, and said his client will be applying for bail in the future.

Tan said he knows of no prior criminal convictions for Sandeson, or reprimands during his time at Dalhousie University where he studied kinesiology.

Sandeson was set to being medical school at Dalhousie on Aug 24.

Halifax Regional Police spokesperson Theresa Rath said the case, “will not be played out in the media,” and said investigators are expected to address the situation sometime on Wednesday.

Last Thursday evening, investigators said they had seized several items from the Lower Truro farm they believe may be connected to Samson’s murder.

Samson was reported missing on Aug 16, a day after police believe he was meeting a new client to sell four pounds of marijuana.

An Information to Obtain a Search Warrant shows he was nervous about meeting his new buyer, and attempted to recruit others to go with him the night of the deal, but ended up going alone.

He was last seen leaving his Sigma Chi frat house on South Street around 10:30 p.m. the night he went missing, taking his cell phone and a duffle bag of marijuana, but leaving behind his wallet and car.

Police would then spend an entire day searching Sandeson’s Henry Street apartment in connection to the case, before announcing they believed he was killed at the apartment.

Sandeson was charged despite the lack of a body, and at the time police said they were confident in their decision to lay charges.