In a Corner Brook courtroom on Monday, Marina Goodyear testified that she communicated with her mother regularly, though she never witnessed any physical violence between Jennifer Hillier-Penney and Dean Penney. However, Goodyear mentioned instances where her mother expressed fear without elaborating on the reasons.
Goodyear, the eldest daughter of Hillier-Penney and Penney, provided her testimony at the onset of Penney’s trial for first-degree murder in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Supreme Court. Penney has entered a plea of not guilty, and Hillier-Penney’s body remains undiscovered.
During her testimony, Goodyear shared text messages exchanged with Hillier-Penney on November 27, 2016, just days before her disappearance. They discussed Christmas plans and Hillier-Penney’s anticipation of a second interview for a new administrative position with the RCMP, which would have relocated her to Glovertown, approximately 45 minutes away from Goodyear’s residence in Clarenville.
At the time of Hillier-Penney’s disappearance, she and Penney were separated. The court was informed that Hillier-Penney had sought legal counsel for a divorce proceeding less than a week before the text conversation with her daughter.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Jeff Brace referenced police statements made by Goodyear following her mother’s disappearance. These statements included concerns about other family members and friends to be investigated by the police. Brace particularly mentioned Hillier-Penney’s cousin, Derick Hillier, also known as Smurf, who was identified as a potential suspect due to mental health issues and unusual interactions with Hillier-Penney before she vanished.
In response to Brace’s questions, Goodyear clarified that she had not witnessed physical violence between her mother and Penney. She also expressed skepticism about the involvement of Derick Hillier as a suspect, suggesting that such notions might have originated from Penney or his mother.
Furthermore, Goodyear mentioned in a police statement that she did not believe her mother would have willingly left with Penney, emphasizing Hillier-Penney’s reluctance to be around her husband. She dismissed claims that her mother was involved with another man, describing the individual as a friend.
Two additional witnesses on Monday focused on communication records and cellular tower data in the St. Anthony area. Marlo Denny from Bell Canada’s security team presented Penney’s phone records leading up to the incident, highlighting extensive Internet usage on the night of November 30, 2016. Subsequently, Joseph Sadoun, an expert in cellular tower operations, detailed a report illustrating Penney’s phone activity and locations based on cell tower connections, indicating Penney’s whereabouts on the day of the incident.
The trial continues as further evidence is presented in the courtroom.