Friends and family members of the victim wept in a Victoria courtroom as the trial of a Langford man charged with his mother's 2021 murder began Monday (Jan. 13).

While conducting a welfare check on Dec. 31, 2021, police found the body of Raymonde Elder, 59, in the living room of her Langford home. According to Crown counsel, the accused, Ryan Elder, 30, was found in the same room and was immediately arrested and later charged with second-degree murder.

Crown said forensic pathologist Elizabeth Brooks-Lim conducted the autopsy of Raymonde on Jan. 5, 2022.

"During the course of the autopsy, the blade of a knife is located in Ms. Elder. Dr. Brooks-Lim determines the cause of death of Ms. Elder to be attributed to blunt-force trauma, strangulation, and a number of stab wounds to the back," said Crown prosecutor Sheila Simpson.

While he was in custody, the accused provided a voluntary statement to police, explaining the use of force he used against his mother. Crown said he described that after leaving her in the home he went to various stores and locations in Langford to buy new clothing and to leave the clothing he was wearing during the altercation.

The first witness, Sgt. Kim Sanson of the RCMP's forensic identification services, described a chaotic situation in the home, where Ryomonde and her son both lived.

While being questioned by Simpson, Sanson described one bedroom as "messy" with cigarette butts and wrappers strewn on the floor. In the living room were stained clothes and a rug; along with the handle of the knife and two teeth, though it's unclear who the teeth belonged to at the moment. 

Raymonde's phone was also found submerged in a bowl filled with water.

The trial is expected to continue for the next two or three weeks.