While examining one of the two men accused of killing a pair of Métis hunters, a Crown prosecutor noted multiple discrepancies in the statements the defendant made to police.
Crown prosecutor Jordan Kerr began his interrogation against Anthony Bilodeau with specific questions about Bilodeau’s statement to the RCMP on March 31, 2020.
“Admit it was on March 27, 2020 that you shot and killed Jacob Sansom and Maurice Cardinal,” Kerr asked Bilodeau, who said yes.
Read more: Alberta man charged with second-degree murder by hunters says he fears for his family
Kerr then noted that Bilodeau had three and a half days to rest and talk to his family before the RCMP approached him for an interview.
When officers interviewed him on March 31, 2020, Bilodeau denied knowing anything about the homicide in northeast Edmonton.
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That day, he told police he had returned home from work, put his daughter to bed and then went to bed around 9 p.m.
“You’ve had all this time to think about it and what you found was a false alibi, right?” Kerr asked.
“That’s right,” Bilodeau replied.
1:11 Crown prosecutor ends trial for death of Métis hunters near Bonnyville Crown prosecutor ends trial for death of Métis hunters near Bonnyville
On Wednesday, Bilodeau said he was talking on the phone with his younger brother and father Roger, who was chasing a vehicle north on a country road. Her father told her to join them and carry a gun.
The family has said they assumed the people in the vehicle, who approached his property that night, had come to steal them.
Although there had been a recent increase in crime in the area, the Bilodeau had never experienced any theft.
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Read more: Jury hears man charged with second-degree murder in Alberta hunter death
Kerr asked if Anthony understood that people were no longer on Bilodeau’s property when Anthony was told to show up.
“All they had to do (Roger and little brother) was put out in your house and there would be no threat, right?” Kerr asked.
“That’s possible,” Anthony replied.
“In that phone call, Roger didn’t say, ‘These people hit me’ or ‘hurt me,’ did Kerr ask?
“That’s right,” Anthony replied.
“Your understanding was that no one applied physical force to them, did they?” Kerr asked.
“That’s right,” Bilodeau said.
1:51 The jury hears the father and son on the 5th day of the trial for murder of Métis hunters The jury hears the father and son on the 5th day of the trial for the murder of Métis hunters
Kerr pointed out that there were a number of places where the Bilodeau could have stopped and ended the chase.
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“You could have said, ‘Dad, that’s ridiculous. Stop, we’re calling the police,'” Kerr asked Anthony.
“I didn’t think of that at the time,” Bilodeau said.
On Wednesday, Anthony testified that he brought a gun from his home safe. He said it was just to protect himself, but Kerr challenged that Thursday, saying Bilodeau chose a 3030 rifle “capable of killing.”
“He’s capable,” Bilodeau admitted.
Read more: Alberta hunter’s wife says she told him not to drink or drive the night he was shot
The Crown prosecutor also asked Bilodeau if it was possible that people were upset because she had just been chased down a country road.
“I thought it might be a possibility,” Bilodeau said.
Bilodeau admits that he went to a rural intersection where his father and brother were stopped near the Dodge truck that they did not recognize.
He claimed he could see one of the men drowning his father and was not sure if that person had a gun, so he quickly loaded his own rifle and got out of his truck with it.
In an interrogation, Bilodeau said he could not see the man’s left side. He then demonstrated how he said the man was drowning his father by carrying both hands on his own neck.
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1:13 Widow testifies at trial of father, son accused of killing Métis hunters in northern Alberta Widow testifies at trial of father, son accused of killing Métis hunters in northern Alberta – 17 May 2022
Kerr pointed out that if the man’s two hands were on Roger’s neck, it was not possible for the man to have a weapon.
“So no one visible to you had a firearm,” Kerr said.
“That’s right,” Bilodeau admitted.
“You’re the first person to put a gun in this situation, aren’t you?” challenged the Crown.
“Yes,” Bilodeau said.
“These men were responding to you by producing a gun, right?” Kerr asked.
“That’s right,” the defendant agreed.
Read more: Jury hears man charged with second-degree murder in Alberta hunter death
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Kerr noted that the man, Jacob Sansom, who later walked toward Anthony, was unarmed and did not hit Anthony, touch his weapon, or show any weapons.
He asked why Anthony did not fire a warning shot or shoot the man in the leg instead of directly in the chest.
“I didn’t think so,” Bilodeau said.
Bilodeau testified that the second man, Maurice Cardinal, approached with a pistol and threatened to kill Anthony.
Kerr noted that the man never fired a single shot that night from what Bilodeau testified.
However, he admits that he shot and killed Cardinal three times.
1:23 Trial begins for father and son accused of killing Métis hunters in northern Alberta Trial begins for father and son accused of killing Métis hunters in northern Alberta – May 16, 2022
The court learned on Thursday that the cardinal was found unarmed next to him. Instead, there was one unloaded in the back seat of the passenger, near where the Cardinal had been.
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A test photo shows that the weapon had no clip and that the clip was under a bag on which the weapon was.
Bilodeau stated that he did not move the weapon and that the security video shows that Cardinal never got up after receiving a shot.
Defendant admits he went home and cut the rifle he used into “four or five” pieces, put it in a box, then a garbage bag, and then took it to the landfill.
Anthony also admitted that he took distinctive lights out of his truck that night to try to make it less distinctive.
The defense is scheduled to continue Thursday afternoon.
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