Testimony from one of the accused in a murder-for-hire trial is finished.
Serena Benninger wrapped up her testimony on Wednesday with Crown attorney Bob Morris calling her actions into attention.
Morris suggested Serena was acting heartlessly during her meetings with the undercover police officer, when talking about killing Sheila Terpstra.
Morris went on to say while on the stand, Serena testified she was concerned with the plot because she didn’t want Sheila killed, but it’s evident in the recording meetings that she didn’t seem at all affected and was even laughing while talking about having Sheila killed.
Benninger told the Crown she had been drinking before the meeting to calm her nerves and that’s why she was acting strangely.
Also called to the jury’s attention were text messages that were sent on March 12th between Tony Terpstra and Serena Benninger before they were arrested.
In one, Tony tells Serena to have money ready for the undercover officer, as she could be “getting a call about it” sometime soon.
Previously in the case, it was established that Tony had left a message for the officer on March 11th asking to postpone the plot, because Sheila was supposed to have her young niece with her.
When Sheila Terpstra testified after that, she said there were never any plans to have her niece with her and she didn’t know why Tony said that.
Earlier in the day, Anthony Terpstra’s lawyer David Humphrey suggested again that Serena masterminded the whole plot and wasn’t concerned for Sheila at all.
Serena repeatedly denied that suggestion, saying she was only doing what she was told.
Anthony Terpstra will take the stand next, with closing arguments tentatively scheduled for Friday.