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Two masked males stormed a southeast Calgary residence and shot two occupants to demise almost three a long time in the past, a murder trial heard Monday.
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And in her opening assertion within the trial of Calgary man Leonard Cochrane, prosecutor Carla MacPhail mentioned it was the Crown’s principle that the accused was one of many two gunmen.
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MacPhail informed Decide Keith Yamauchi on the Courtroom of King’s Bench that blood discovered on the scene matched Cochrane’s DNA profile.
“It’s the Crown’s principle, Mr. Cochrane was one of many masked, armed intruders who entered the house,” MacPhail mentioned, indicating that the second assailant was by no means recognized.
“The 2 intruders had been armed with two firearms; one was a pistol, one was a shotgun,” she informed Yamauchi.
MacPhail mentioned it was “a house invasion model theft throughout which they killed Barry Buchart and Trevor Deakins.”
Cochrane (53) is charged with two counts of first-degree homicide within the capturing deaths of Buchart (26) and Deakins (25) on July 11, 1994.
“On July 11, 1994, two younger males had been shot lifeless of their residence,” she mentioned of the raid focusing on medication and money.
MacPhail mentioned Buchart bought medication out of the house.
She mentioned neighbors and guests within the four-place the place the 2 males lived will testify about what they heard and noticed that early morning.
Neighbor heard ‘sounds of a combat’: prosecutor
Buchart and Deakins lived in one of many two basement items within the quad on 10 Ave SE in the neighborhood of Radisson Heights.
Their upstairs neighbour, Mark Northcliffe, had visited the victims earlier within the night and when he left “issues had been regular”.
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However after Northcliffe went to sleep, he was woke up by a commotion that included shouting, working and canine barking.
“There have been sounds of a combat, yelling,” MacPhail mentioned.
He heard somebody say “give me my a refund” earlier than he “heard the sounds of gunshots and working.”
He additionally heard ‘a voice that gave the impression of Barry Butchart saying ‘I am dying, I am dying’.
Blue van seen driving by: prosecutor
In the meantime, two mates of Hugh Morrison, who occupied the opposite higher unit, had been visiting.
One, Al Ehman, observed a blue van driving slowly previous the quad earlier than coming into.
“All three males watched or heard the truck circle two or 3 times,” MacPhail mentioned.
The truck was final seen heading west down the again alley earlier than two males had been noticed approaching the constructing from the identical route.
The prosecutor mentioned Cochrane’s girlfriend on the time would testify that he drove a blue van.
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MacPhail mentioned blood discovered on a machete discovered partially below Buchart’s physique plus drops discovered elsewhere matched Cochrane’s DNA profile.
Hair present in Buchart’s hand and on his shirt, in addition to a balaclava left on the scene, had been additionally analyzed, she mentioned.
“That is the DNA of one other particular person,” MacPhail mentioned, referring to the unknown assailant as Particular person B.
The listening to is scheduled for 3 weeks.
KMartin@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @KMartinCourts
