Vancouver man faces ist-degree murder charge

A RETIRED
methodically recounted
Wednesday a 14-year-old
autopsy on a womun murdered
in North Vancouver.

By Brent Mudry
Contributing Writer

Dr. Charles Robinson described
in B.C. Supreme Court Mary
Costin’s extensive injuries. The
jury viewed photographs of her
badly battered body.

Jean Victor Beaulac of
Vancouver stands charged with the
first-degree murder of Costin in
1981,

Crown prosecutor David Ruse
claims Costin consented to sex
with Beaulac after a party, then he
killed her when she refused to have
sex with one of his friends.

She was 23 at the time. The
accused was 21.

Costin’s beaten body was found

pathologist

near Lynn Creek on Feb, !8, 1981.

Just after lunch that day, Dr.
Robinson began his autopsy at
Lions Gate Hospital.

The 1938 UBC grad told the
seven women and five men of the
jury that he performed about 500
autopsies a year from 1977 to
1987.

Beaulac, now 35, sported a tidy
black-haired pony-tail tn court, of f-
setting his balding head.

He sat calmly as Robinson recit-
ed the lengthy list of Costin's
injuries,

The doctor described abrasions,
scratches and = scrapes across
Costin’s face.

Her eyes were swollen, and one
eyelid was lacerated.

Her neck, chest and arms were
bruised.

The doctor noted a series of
abrasions around one breast, cover-
ing scars from old burn marks.

“Il wouid say she had her arms
up more or less.” Robinson told

the court.

The pathologist demonstrated to
the jury by throwing his arms up to
cover his face.

Costin’s defence was in vain.

Ruse claims Beaulac beat her
over and over again with a rock on
her head.

The doctor held up a styrofoam
mannequin head to. show the
numerous skull fractures he noted.

In one place, a piece of the vic-
dim's skull was pushed in.

“The head wounds were inflict-
ed before death.” Robinson said.

The pathologist told the court
Costin’s lungs were filled with a
watery fluid and patches of mud.

“She had an excessively full
bladder,” he recounted.

Ruse claims Costin’s body was
thrown in Lynn Creek.

Robinson told the jury the
immediate cause of Costin’s death
was drowning. She had suffered a
major skull fracture.

The trial continues.

Heritage powers strengthened

CHANGES TO the Municipal
:-Act will. help municipalities
preserve heritage sites, fea-
tures and artifacts.

“WEST VANCOUVER
. DISTRICT COUNCIL

By Maureen Curtis

.. \ A Staff report on the. changes,
“received. by West Vancouver
District Council on April 10, indi-
cates that the district’s powers’ to
manage its heritage resource have
been expanded.

_ There are also added incentives
‘to owners to maintain or improve
heritage resources.

The -Municipal Act changes

Lawson House (museum and
archives) are West Vancouver's
only heritage-designated buildings.

West Vancouver also has listings
of heritage buildings, structures,
trees and landscapes.

According to planning assistant
Joel Lawson, one benefit of the
new legislation is the provision for
heritage conservation areas.

Any subdivision, construction
or alteration within such areas may
be subject to council consideration.

Changes within such an area
could be kept in line with the pre-

allow: for. penalties for those who |

damage or alter heritage resources.

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