First responders recall the moments they found Elisabeth Salm badly beaten in 2018

Testimony continued Friday in the first-degree murder trial of Elisabeth Salm, the 59-year-old Ottawa librarian who was found badly beaten in 2018. Salm later died in hospital. 

Tyler Hikoalok has pleaded not guilty in the charge of first-degree murder. During testimony, the now 22-year-old remained expressionless, wearing red sweatshirt and grey sweatpants. His hair was half-tied back in a ponytail. 

Hikoalok is being represented by attorneys Michael Smith and Brook Laforest.  The crown represented by Assistant Crown attorneys Lisa Miles and Brian Holowka. 

The court heard Friday from the first responders who were the first on the scene when they found Salm lying on the ground at the back of the Christian Science Reading Room shortly after 1 p.m. on May 24, 2018. 

Peter Roy-Smith and his Ottawa Fire crew was the first to arrive at the scene on Laurier Avenue. 

Roy-Smith says he found, "A lady laying down on her right side and another lady kneeling just behind her, tending to her…visibly see a large amount of blood around the lady on the ground… around her head and on top of her head."

Roy-Smith says the victim was not fully clothed and most of the trauma was around her face and head. 

Roy-Smith says he found a pulse, but she was non-responsive. 

Paramedic Courtney Healey also testified. Healey saying the call came in minutes before 1 p.m. as a Code 4, the top priority call.

Healey say firefighters were "trying to give her oxygen", adding "I remember seeing a lot of blood around her face and head and there was a pool of blood on the carpet next to the patient."

Healey says paramedics were not able to find the source of the bleeding. Paramedics attempted to keep the airways open and clear and had to cut through Salm’s clothing to use their equipment including defibrillator pads.  

The defence questioned paramedics about why furniture in the room- including two small children’s chairs and a cardboard box was moved. Paramedics say it was because the room was so small, they needed better access to the victim. 

Healey said when there is trauma like that, she understood there was a "possibility of a crime" but "patient care trumps" moving furniture. 

Paramedic Chantale Dumas and Jacob Latham also testifying about their role. Dumas saying, she "grabbing CPR machine and rushed in," and described the scene as "chaotic" as first responders did what they could to save Salm.

Defence lawyer Michael Smith questioning Dumas about how many people were in the room and who gave instructions to move furniture at the scene of the crime. 

Latham testifying about his role in attempting to clear Salm’s airways of blood in order to help her breathe. Latham says he drove the ambulance that drove Salm to the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus. Latham insisting that "patient care was our priority."

Justice Anne London-Weinstein is presiding over the jury trial.