A 28-year-old former member of Canada's armed forces is on trial this week for the 2009 murder of an internationally renowned make-up artist.

The body of Pina Rizzi, 47, was found in an abandoned shed behind an auto repair shop on Notre-Dame St. burned and wrapped in a carpet.

Her alleged killer, Jean-Philippe Tremblay, was arrested in Alma in 2013.

Following his arrest, three and a half years after the murder, Tremblay was questioned at length.

In court on Thursday the jury heard how, during the interrogation, Tremblay first denied the incident and said he never met Rizzi.

The officer kept pressing, pointing out that Tremblay's fingerprints and blood were found at the scene.

Finally, when the officer asked, "Why did you do it?" Tremblay broke down and admitted killing Rizzi.
He said on tape he had met Rizzi that night that she wanted to have sex with him, but he could not perform.

“I lost my temper. I pushed her,” Tremblay told the detective. “I began punching her. I didn't stop. I grabbed something and I hit her hard.”

Despite admitting his guilt, Tremblay continued to blame his victim for what happened, so the investigator kept pressing him for more details and finally the truth came out

“She was trying to leave,” the investigator is seen on the video telling him. “And you pulled her back into the shed.”

The jury saw the surveillance video showing as much.
Tremblay then admitted he took a piece of wood and struck Pina Rizzi.

He then tried to set her on fire and wrapped her in a carpet.

On the tape, Tremblay said he never meant to kill her and said he was sorry for what he did.

“I`m well aware I`m going to jail, and that I won't see my wife and my children for a long time,” he said.
When asked if he had a message for Rizzi’s family, he whispered, “I’m really sorry for what I did.”

Rizzi's family is following the trial closely.

They said it has been very difficult since for four years they had no clue about the suspect, knowing only that Rizzi had last been seen at a bar talking to several people.

The trial is likely to end next week, after which the jury will begin deliberations.