His admission to stabbing Joseph Topping was captured on video and played Thursday at his trial for first-degree murder. The interview was conducted by Det. Sgt. Caley O’Neill, who is based in Orillia, is a member of the behavioral science analysis section and a member of the OPP forensic interview team. Southwind told the officer he stabbed Topping because “I interpreted that Joseph wanted to die.” When asked what made him believe Joseph wanted to take his life, he replied that Topping said he was ill and did not want to go to hospital. “He had given up on life,” Southwind told the officer. “He went off his meds. It’s really hard to explain. You wouldn’t understand.” Southwind said he did not know how many times he stabbed Topping. The 31-year-old victim’s body was discovered on February 14, 2018 in a wooded marshy area behind his Elliot Lake apartment building. Southwind, 27, has pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder. Early in the interview, O’Neill told the defendant it was important for him to understand why this happened. “You’re a new guy and you’re upset about what happened to Joseph.” There must be a reason and “this is my chance to explain,” the 21-year-old officer said. “It’s hard for me to think that it’s all Brad’s fault,” he told Southwind. “I want to know what happened so people don’t get the wrong idea about you.” Southwind didn’t answer at first, then said they were drinking, Topping was joking, then got serious. He stated he didn’t have his medication, didn’t want to go to the hospital and “that’s when I lost it,” the defendant said. “That doesn’t explain why he ended up in the woods,” O’Neill said, implying that something must have happened between the two men. “Why did Joseph have to die?” asked the officer. “I really don’t know,” Southwind replied. “All kinds of crazy things happen,” he said. “We were doing drugs. I could tell he wanted to die and I really wish he was here. I can’t take that back.” Topping was talking about silly things like playing Russian roulette with a shotgun and “always hinting at suicide,” Southwood said, indicating that he too was off his medication. “It’s like he was on a death wish. Joseph was tired of living.” Nearly two hours into the interview, a sobbing Southwind told O’Neill “I stabbed him.” and “I’m really sorry.” When asked what had happened to the knife, he replied “I don’t know I threw it.” He described it as “just a regular knife with a black handle.” At the end of the two-and-a-half-hour interview, which took place at the OPP detachment in Blind River, Southwind wrote a letter of apology to his friend’s mother, jurors heard After the court viewed the video, prosecutor David Didiodato asked O’Neill about the defendant’s requests during the interview to speak with his attorney. The officer said Southwind had already spoken with an attorney before the interview. “There has been no change in his risk to facilitate this,” O’Neill said. “Nothing had changed. It was still the same charge.” During the cross-examination, defense attorney Don Orazietti pointed out to the officer that he had spent a lot of time at the beginning of the interview talking to Southwind about his rights. Southwind “asked three, maybe four, times to speak to his lawyer,” Oraziett said. “What would be the harm in letting him talk to his lawyer?” O’Neill testified that he knew Southwind had spoken with his attorney the day before after his arrest. “He had been advised by his solicitor. I was pleased that he exercised that right.” It would be fair to say that Southwind refused to tell you what happened until about two hours into the interview and then capitulated, Orazietti asked. O’Neill agreed. “You put him on and he can see the writing on the wall,” the defense suggested. The officer said it could be, but that was up to Southwind. “How many times have you lied to him, broken or exaggerated?” Orazietti asked. O’Neill said he had embellished some things and created three theories that he suggested to Southwind as possible reasons why the killing happened. He agreed that Southwind was crying throughout the interview. “My interpretation is that he had regrets about what happened between him and Joseph,” the officer said. O’Neill also acknowledged that he works in a specialized field, is called on serious crimes and has a degree in psychology. “You have expertise and natural talent,” suggested Orazietti. “You clearly have a gift for dealing with people one-on-one.” O’Neill agreed. Also on Thursday, the Crown provided the court with an agreed statement of facts from Topping’s mother. Irene Guerin reported that she reported her son missing on January 8, 2018. She stated that she knew Southwind, who was a friend of her son. Guerin called it a good friendship and said she personally saw nothing to suggest Southwind would turn on him.
