Trial of Cody Legebokoff

The trial of Cody Legebokoff is a 2014 criminal case in the British Columbia Supreme Court that convicted Cody Alan Legebekoff (born c. 1990) of murdering three women and a teenage girl between 2009 and 2010 in or near the City of Prince George, British Columbia. The trial of one of Canada's youngest serial killers[1] drew national attention.[2]

2010 arrest

On November 27, 2010 a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer observed Legebokoff pull his truck onto British Columbia Highway 27 from a remote logging road. According to a case report prepared by the officer, he suspected Legebokoff of poaching and signaled for it to pull over. After being joined by a second officer and approaching the vehicle, the officers say they noticed Legebokoff had blood smears on his face and chin, blood on his legs and saw a pool of blood on the driver's mat.[3] Searching the pickup truck, the officers claim they discovered a multi-tool and wrench covered in blood, as well as a monkey backpack and a wallet containing a children's hospital card with the name of Loren Leslie on it. When questioned about the blood on him, Legebokoff purportedly stated that he was poaching and had clubbed a deer to death because "I’m a redneck, that’s what we do for fun."[4]

The officers arrested Legebokoff under the Canada Wildlife Act and called for a conservation officer. The conservation officer retraced the tire tracks of Legebokoff's vehicle. According to police, the tracks led to the body of Loren Donn Leslie.[4] After his arrest in connection with the death of Leslie, he was linked by DNA to the deaths of Jill Stacey Stuchenko, Cynthia Frances Maas and Natasha Lynn Montgomery.[5]

Perpetrator

Cody Legebokoff is a Canadian citizen who was raised in Fort St. James, a district municipality in rural British Columbia. He has been described by friends and family members as a popular young man who competed in ice hockey and showed no propensity for violence.[6] Though Legebokoff had a minor criminal record, he was not "on the radar" of local police.[7]

After graduating Fort St. James Secondary School, Legebokoff lived briefly in Lethbridge, before moving to Prince George. There, he shared an apartment with three close female friends and worked as a mechanic at a Ford dealership. In his spare time Legebokoff frequented the Canadian social-networking site Nexopia, using the handle "1CountryBoy."[8]

Victims

In addition to Leslie, police allege Legebokoff is responsible for the murders of:

Jill Stuchenko, 35-year-old mother of five, was last seen on October 9, 2009 and found dead four days later in a gravel pit on the outskirts of Prince George, British Columbia.[10]

Natasha Montgomery, 23, was last seen August 31 or early September 1, 2010. Her body has never been found but her DNA was later found in samples taken in Legebokoff's apartment.[10]

Cynthia Maas, 35, was last seen September 10, 2010 and her body was found in a Prince George park the following month. Maas, died of blunt-force trauma to the head and penetrating wounds. She had a hole in her shoulder blade, a broken jaw and cheekbone, and injuries to her neck consistent with someone stomping on it.[10]

The Crown has said Stuchenko, Mongomery and Maas had worked in the sex trade and that Legebokoff was addicted to cocaine and used sex workers to get him the drug.[4]

Loren Leslie, 15, is something of an outlier, as she was far younger than the other victims and allegedly met Mr. Legebokoff online at the website Nexopia. Leslie was legally blind, having one completely blind eye and only 50% vision in the other.[11]

Trial proceedings

Legebokoff's trial on four counts of murder was originally scheduled to begin in September 2013 but was delayed a month until October and then again until June 2014. Legebokoff pled not guilty to all four counts of murder.[12] The judge and 12 jurors heard testimony from 93 Crown witnesses and the defendant.[1]

Legebokoff testified during the trial that he was "involved" in three of the deaths but claimed that he did not actually commit the killings. He alleged that a drug dealer and two accomplices, whom he would only name as "X, Y and Z", were the actual murderers.[13] Prosecutors did not accept this attempt to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder.

Outcomes

Verdict

Legebokoff was convicted on four counts of first-degree murder on September 11, 2014.[14]

Sentencing

On September 16, 2014, Legebokoff was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 25 years. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Glen Parrett also added him to the national sex offender registry given the sexual assaults committed as part of the murders and Legebokoff's apparent degradation of the victims' bodies. "He lacks any shred of empathy or remorse," Parrett said of the killer. "He should never be allowed to walk among us again."[15]

Appeal

In February 2015, Legebokoff filed an appeal due to decisions against change of venue and defendant's legal representation.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 Canadian Press (Sep 11, 2014). "Cody Legebokoff convicted in murders of three women, teen girl". Globe and Mail.
  2. ↑ Blatchford, Christie (Sep 11, 2014). "Christie Blatchford: Cody Legebokoff found guilty in murder of four B.C. women". National Post.
  3. ↑ Warren, Lydia (June 4, 2014). "Cody Legebokoff 'who killed 4' said he was covered in blood from beating a deer to death". Daily Mail (Associated Newspapers Ltd). Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Dhillon, Sunny (June 3, 2014). "RCMP officer's hunch prompted arrest of Cody Legebokoff". The Globe and Mail (Phillip Crawley). Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Alleged B.C. serial killer’s trial could take up to a year". National Post. October 31, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  6. ↑ McMahon, Tamsin (October 18, 2011). "Cody Alan Legebokoff: The country boy accused in the murders of four B.C. women". National Post. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  7. ↑ Hawkins, Christine; Pelisek (October 23, 2011). "A Teen Serial Killer in Canada?". dailybeast.com. Daily Beast. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  8. ↑ Hawkins, Kristal. "Cody Legebokoff: Canada's Accused "Country Boy" Killer". crimelibrary.com. truTV. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  9. ↑ Canadian Press (August 28, 2013). "Cody Legebokoff, Accused Serial Killer, Trial Date Delayed". Huffington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 Keller, James (June 2, 2014). "Cody Legebokoff Trial Hears Victims' DNA Found On Suspect's Belongings". Huffington Post. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Grisly details emerge in B.C. slayings". Calgary Sun. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  12. ↑ Dhillon, Sunny (June 4, 2014). "Jury hears recording of accused B.C. serial killer's arrest". The Globe and Mail (Phillip Crawley). Retrieved June 5, 2014.
  13. ↑ Nielson, Mark (August 26, 2014). "Legebokoff admits involvement in murders, trial hears". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  14. ↑ Nielsen, Mark (September 11, 2014). "Legebokoff guilty". The Prince George Citizen. Retrieved September 11, 2014.
  15. ↑ Nielsen, Mark (Sep 16, 2014). "B.C. serial killer sentenced to life". Vancouver Sun.
  16. ↑ McElroy, Justin (Feb 13, 2015). "Cody Legebokoff files appeal of four first-degree murder convictions". Global BC News. Retrieved 15 March 2015.

External links

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