The man accused of killing two Edmonton-area sex trade workers said he once considered killing himself as a child, he said to officers in a newly-released RCMP interrogation video.
The Thomas Svekla interrogation tapes were obtained by CTV News last week after several media outlets teamed up in court and argued for their release.
In the tapes, Svekla insisted he is innocent and even passed a lie detector test questioning him about the murder of Rachel Quinney.
"I don't know how Rachel died," he said on one tape. "I don't know how Theresa died. Both times I was too scared to come forward."
The video also shows Svekla withstanding varying questioning techniques for hours on end.
The tapes show investigators trying to appeal to Svekla's different sides -- with one officer acting sympathetic and another telling him he'd be all over the papers if he admitted to the killings.
Svekla told one officer, who was acting compassionate about his childhood, he was a frightened fragile youth.
"I wanted to commit suicide," he said. "I wanted to when I was a kid."
The next day investigators tried to switch up techniques and overwhelm him with the police resources working against him.
"This investigation right now is the biggest thing going on in the country ... there's nothing bigger," said one unidentified interviewer.
In another part of the tape, an officer seemingly tries to appeal to his ego and link him to seven other prostitute murders.
"Ever been on the front page of the Edmonton Sun before?" the investigator asks. "Whoever did the seven (killings) will be in the paper for a long time, look at Paul Bernardo. Paul Bernardo is still in the papers."
In other parts of the tape, Svekla appears tired of the hours of questioning.
"Lets just, you and I, spend some time together," said one interviewer.
"I don't want to spend any time, I just want to lay down," Svekla said.
The trial continues Tuesday.
With files from David Ewasuk.
