TORONTO -- Ashleigh Pechaluk confessed to killing her lesbian lover's boyfriend -- a crime for which she was acquitted -- but refused to divulge details because she feared receiving a life sentence, court heard yesterday.
Defence lawyer Richard Stern questioned Pechaluk on her motives for admitting to bludgeoning Dennis Hoy to death to two homicide detectives and then denying them any information on how she committed the crime.
Pechaluk is testifying at the trial of her former lover, Nicky Puddicombe, 36, who is accused of first-degree murder in the Oct. 27, 2006, slaying of Hoy, 36, her longtime boyfriend and a GO Transit officer.
Pechaluk said she falsely confessed to protect her lover.
The prosecution is alleging Puddicombe and Pechaluk acted together but for different motives, Pechaluk for love and Puddicombe for money, namely, Hoy's life insurance and pension benefits of $250,000.
The 25-year-old Pechaluk was acquitted by a jury of first-degree murder as the alleged axe-wielding killer in June.
Her jury trial never heard Pechaluk's confession -- it was ruled inadmissible because she was deprived of her rights to counsel.
After spending 14 hours in police custody, Pechaluk wept and admitted, "Nicky didn't do it. I did it."
But despite the persistent probing by detectives, Pechaluk wouldn't give them any information on the murder.
Stern said police then informed Pechaluk of the penalties for first-degree murder -- a planned, deliberate homicide which carries a life sentence with no parole for at least 25 years, and second-degree murder, life with no parole for at least 10 years.
"I didn't do anything. I didn't give them any information because I didn't know anything," Pechaluk said.
The trial continues today.
