Murders & machetes & drunk driving, oh my
Five cases in BC Supreme Courts around the province on Friday
1. Sure we slaughtered six, but the cops weren't fair
Surrey Six killer Cody Haevischer is on day 29 of a scheduled 128-day hearing to determine whether his conviction 11 years ago in the mass murder in a Surrey apartment suite should be set aside because of police misconduct.
The Red Scorpion gang member and Matthew Johnston were found guilty in 2014 of six counts each of first-degree murder for the slaughter of two innocent men, Edward Schellenberg who was servicing the fireplace in the penthouse of death, and Chris Mohan a 22-year-old living across the hall. Four rival gangsters were also killed: Corey Lal, Michael Lal, Eddie Barong and Ryan Bartolomeo.
Jamie Bacon and Dennis Karbovanec were also convicted in the case. Bacon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder and was given an 18-year sentence in 2020. With credit of 11 years for time served, he was eligible a year ago for statutory release after serving two thirds of the sentence. His application for release was denied due in part to his behaviour behind bars. He was ordered to serve the rest of his sentence which will be completed February 2026.
Karbovanec was sentenced to life with no chance of parole for 15 years for three counts of second-degree murder.
Johnston died of cancer in prison in 2022.
2. Crown running from Jordan in drunk driving fatal
People in three vehicles were driving down Cypress Bowl Road in West Vancouver on Sept. 2, 2021 when the driver of a Jeep crashed near a hairpin turn. Two men from Surrey were killed, including one whose birthday it was.
Dilpreet Singh Sandhu was charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death, charges that were later upgraded to impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, driving with a blood-alcohol level over .08, dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing bodily harm.
Singh is facing day seven of a 15-day voir dire today in the trial in BC Supreme Court in Vancouver. The case is up against the so-called Jordan principle that governs the length of court proceedings. Under Jordan, charges can be dropped if a case lasts more than 18 months in provincial court or 30 months in superior courts.
3. Clayton gas station murder
Carlos Monteith is on day five of a 37-day trial in BC Supreme Court in New Westminster for first-degree murder for a brazen shooting at a Surrey gas station that killed Kristijan Coric in September 2019.
Trion Demario Castello was charged with accessory after the fact.
4. Criminal negligence
Thirteen years ago, pipe-layer Jeff Caron was fatally crushed by a collapsing concrete wall in an excavation pit on a construction site in North Burnaby. Another pipe-layer, Thomas Richer, suffered serious injuries on Oct. 11, 2012, according to WorkSafeBC.
It took 11 years, but in 2023 criminal charges were laid against the foreman and the excavation company. David Green and J. Cote & Son Excavating Ltd. are charged with criminal negligence causing death and criminal negligence causing injury, and today are on day 15 of a 38-day trial in BC Supreme Court in Vancouver.
5. Machete case cuts to the bone
Up in Prince George, Dakota Rayn Keewatin is today on the final day of a voir dire as part of his trial in connection with a gruesome machete attack three years ago.
The 31-year-old and Kerridge Andrew Lowley, 49, were charged with aggravated assault and break and enter for the attack at the Econo Lodge City Centre Inn in Prince George on Aug. 11, 2022. The victim required emergency surgery for multiple deep lacerations, nerve, muscle, tendon and bone injuries.
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Paul J. Henderson
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