Two men acquitted of murdering ‘tragically innocent’ B.C. couple
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After a trial that had plenty of delays associated to COVID-19, two males have been acquitted of murdering a Cranbrook-area couple in a case of mistaken id.
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In June 2018, Colin Raymond Correia and Sheldon Joseph Hunter have been charged with the Could 2010 first-degree murders of Leanne Laura MacFarlane, 43, and Jeffrey Todd Taylor, 42.
The 2 victims have been fatally shot in a house on the outskirts of Cranbrook.
The Crown’s principle at trial was that the murderers have been anticipating to search out and kill a rival drug group member named Doug Mahon, who had apparently shot a member of one other group, to which Correia, who was convicted in 2012 of conspiracy to homicide Mahon, belonged.
Mahon had apparently lived on the deal with the place the 2 victims lived on the time of their deaths previously however was not residing there when the 2 killers went there with the intention of killing him, in response to the prosecution.
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Court docket heard that the 2 victims weren’t concerned within the drug commerce in any approach.
In his causes for judgment launched Monday, B.C. Supreme Court docket Justice Arne Silverman stated that the couple have been “tragically harmless” victims who have been within the unsuitable place on the unsuitable time.
The decide famous that the 2 murderers have been disguised on the time of the slayings and two witnesses, who lived subsequent to the premises and who weren’t shot, have been unable to determine them.
He stated that the Crown’s case consisted of quite a lot of circumstantial proof and located that the 2 accused individuals weren’t harmless.
“Nevertheless, I’m not glad past an inexpensive doubt that they’re responsible,” the decide stated as he learn out an govt abstract from his ruling.
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The decide stated the explanations for his doubt embrace that the proof established that on the day of the murders the supposed sufferer didn’t reside on the deal with the place the murders occurred.
“Additional, the proof raises an inexpensive doubt about whether or not the 2 accused knew that the supposed sufferer didn’t reside at that deal with, and had not resided there for plenty of months.”
The credibility of a number of Crown witnesses, two of whom can solely be recognized as Witness Y and Witness Z on account of a publication ban, was additionally suspect, stated the decide.
Witness Z was the only witness who testified that he noticed the 2 accused shortly earlier than and after the murders. Witness Z additionally testified that he drove them to an space the place they may simply entry the place the place the murders have been to happen.
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However the decide famous that Z had lied to the police for years about his involvement and continued to misinform police till finally receiving a full immunity settlement.
“I conclude that he has continued to lie since receiving the complete immunity settlement.”
Concerning the accused Hunter, the decide stated alibi proof about him raised an inexpensive doubt primarily based on cellphone information that fairly recommend he was in a unique location on the time of the murders. There was additionally credible alibi proof of a good friend, added the decide.
After the decide learn out his govt abstract of the decision, one girl seated within the public gallery started weeping and left the courtroom. Others current within the courtroom have been additionally visibly upset by the decision. Relations declined to remark outdoors court docket.
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The trial heard that MacFarlane and Taylor, who had three youngsters and had moved to B.C. in 2006, had taken up residence within the Cranbrook-area dwelling in January 2010.
The decide famous that it had been a “lengthy and troublesome” trial, which began with pretrial motions in September 2019 and solely commenced in October 2020 after a COVID-related delay. There have been a number of different delays associated to the pandemic, together with an adjournment in January 2021 after each accused examined optimistic for the virus.
kfraser@postmedia.com
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