Documents point to toxic relationship By Nicole O'Reilly METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP Perhaps only Katherine and Kyle Newman know what happened in the final moments of their lives, but information gleaned from family court documents shows how toxic the estranged couple's relationship had become in the months leading up to their deaths. It has been two weeks since Katherine Newman, 43, was found stabbed to death inside her Oakville home and Kyle Newman, 43, was fatally shot by police a short time later that day. Investigators have shared little of what their investigation has uncovered. Officially, they have not linked the two deaths. Halton police are in charge of the investigation of Katherine's murder. The Special Investigation Unit is investigating Kyle's death in the parking lot of the 20 Division police station, near Dundas Street East and Trafalgar Road in Oakville. SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon said investigators have done most of the field work -- gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. It's believed Kyle drove to the station and had been inflicting damage to at least one vehicle before police intervened. Hudon said several items have been sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences for testing. Investigators will need those test results before 9 · Friday, January 27, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Kyle Newman the case can be concluded. Halton police aren't sharing any new details about the case. Katherine -- known as Bunny -- is the daughter of retired Hamilton Superior Court Justice Walter Stayshyn. He has said the family was concerned about Kyle's behaviour after the couple separated in 2010. The estranged couple leave behind three boys, aged 12, 10 and 7. Katherine filed for divorce last July. Kyle made a formal response agreeing to the divorce in August. Divorce applications and affidavits filed in Halton family court give a snapshot of the last Katherine Newman year of their lives. They fought, and had their lawyers involved in those fights, over everything -- their children's schedules, money, disclosure, work, vacations, living arrangements. In a document filed Jan. 6 -- just six days before her murder -- Katherine claims her estranged husband "remains extremely bitter and hostile." She said this behaviour had not decreased with "the passage of time." The pair, who met and became friends while attending Ancaster High School, married in 1996. Katherine, a nurse, gave up her career to care for their three sons and the family moved to the Boston area in 2006 to advance Kyle's career in a medical company's marketing department. They moved back to Oakville in 2008 and, by May 2010, they were separated. Katherine claimed Kyle had a prolonged affair, which continued while she underwent treatment for breast cancer between late 2007 and early 2009, and that is why the marriage ended. In one entry, she said she discovered pictures proving the affair. In the court documents, which only offer each side's perspective and no ruling or decision, Kyle denied the affair. According to Katherine's version of events, Kyle would become obsessed with getting an answer to a specific question and would call her eight times or more a day. One of the issues he would leave multiple messages about was his desire to resolve who would be the guardian of their three boys if they were both to die. She called his behaviour irrational and erratic, noting that he had threatened to harm himself. Kyle denied this. It was Kyle's opinion that he was the "primary parent." He accused his estranged wife of blocking access to his children. He also complained repeatedly about the fact that Katherine had not obtained full-time employment since the separation. Shortly before her death, she began part-time work at local health-care facilities. See Court page 12 Save up to 25% on selected window and door purchases For a consultation call 905.847.2071 Showroom 2345 Wyecroft Road, Unit 23, Oakville cheney.ca Photos courtesy of Andersen® The most trusted name in windows and doors