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Accused in murder showed up at RCMP headquarters hours after Lanky Court killing,witnesses testify

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Brendan Burke/NNSL photo. Kevin Mantla enters the Yellowknife courthouse Wednesday morning. Witnesses testified Mantla, accused of murder and attempted murder, attended RCMP headquarters on Sept. 28, 2015 in search of a place to sleep. Jan. 31, 2018

A shoeless Kevin Mantla showed up at Yellowknife RCMP headquarters just hours after allegedly killing Elvis Lafferty, bringing a police manhunt to the Mounties' front door, according to testimony made in NWT Supreme Court Wednesday.

After being told via radio that someone was at the 5010 Veterans Memorial Drive location's front door, a Yellowknife RCMP constable told the court he arrived at work on the morning of Sept. 28, 2015 to find Mantla sitting in the public lobby.

The officer, who testified he knew of the RCMP's ongoing search but didn't recognize the accused, said Mantla told him he wanted a place to stay. The officer said he told Mantla he couldn't put him in a cell without cause. Inquiring about Mantla's missing shoes, the officer said Mantla changed his story, first saying they were stolen and then saying he had lent them to a friend. Mantla was detained after he provided his name to the constable.

More officers, the court heard, soon arrived, and Mantla was formally arrested by then-major crimes investigator Const. Alan Beaton. Beaton was the second witness to take the stand Wednesday morning.

A 10 minute video documenting Mantla's arrest by Beaton was shown to the court. Hanging his head and rubbing his eyes, Mantla nodded when asked if he understood he was being arrested. When Beaton asked whether or not he wanted to call a lawyer, Mantla was heard saying, "No, I want to go to sleep."

Mantla could also be heard saying he had nowhere to go, and that he'd been walking around all night and sleeping on a sidewalk.

Mantla is on trial for the death of Elvis Lafferty and the attempted murder of his ex-girlfriend, who can't be named due to a publication ban. It's alleged Mantla carried out the attack at a Lanky Court apartment on Sept. 27, 2015.

More witnesses are set to testify as the trial continues through to Feb. 8. Read the full story in Friday's Yellowknifer, and stay tuned for an updated online version.