By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

FORENSIC toxicologist Cyprian Collie yesterday testified that the drugs detected in the blood of a murder victim corresponded with medication that would be found in a person that has undergone resuscitation efforts.

Wayne Seymour was shot and killed on Adelaide Road in December 2015. Prosecutors allege Lynette Charlton fatally shot him with a handgun, before fleeing the scene in his Chevy truck and leaving Mr Seymour in the road to die.

They further allege that the 48-year-old set Mr Seymour’s truck on fire and abandoned the vehicle some distance away on Unison Road at the time of the incident.

Charlton denied the allegations and has maintained her innocence during her trial before Justice Jeanine Weech-Gomez.

When Sergeant 2716 Collie, who is an expert in toxicology, took the stand yesterday, he said in March 2016 he received a container with samples and a tube of blood that both belonged to Mr Seymour. He said in December of that same year, Mr Seymour’s blood sample was submitted to the Miami Dade examination department for a toxic analysis.

When he read the findings of that report yesterday, he said that it indicated that “no volatiles” were detected in Mr Seymour’s blood.

Sgt Collie said that volatiles referred to “substances that go into a gaseous form at room temperature”. He explained that an example of such a substance would be alcohol.

The officer also said the test detected another drug that is commonly found in over the counter medication for congestion as well as fentanyl, which he said is administered to an individual who is experiencing a “great amount of pain”.

The court heard the analysis also revealed a “metabolite of THC” which is “commonly known as a metabolite of marijuana” in Mr Seymour’s system.

During cross-examination, Sgt Collie said the THC metabolite was inactive because the “body broke it down into a form where it had no affect on the individual chronologically”.

He also said he could not say if the metabolite of THC that was found in Mr Seymour’s system was consumed for recreational or medicinal use.

“All of the drugs were in the system at one time,” he said. “These drugs would be detected in someone who is about to go into surgery or (a person) who has received resuscitation efforts.”

The case continues Wednesday.