Witness at Saskatoon murder trial describes events that led to country road killing
CBC
A Saskatoon man once accused of murdering James Swift testified Tuesday how the 40-year-old ended up in a car on a dirt road north of the city with the men charged with killing him.
Anthony Burley, Colton Lischka and Ashtin Ritzand were each charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 29, 2022, stabbing death of James Swift. They were also charged with theft and the attempted murder of Virginia Belhumeur.
At the time, RCMP said Swift and a woman — later identified as Belhumeur — were in a car with three men when the altercation happened. It's not clear what triggered it, but Swift was killed and left at a rural intersection near Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Belhumeur was stabbed in the neck and also left at the intersection.
The murder and attempted murder charges against Burley were stayed in 2023, replaced with a charge of being an accessory to murder after the fact.
Burley took the stand Tuesday in the second week of Lischka and Ritzand's judge-alone trial at Court of King's Bench before Justice Michael Tochor.
Burley told prosecutor Paul Scott that he, Lischka and Ritzand met Swift and Belhumeur outside the Hose and Hydrant Brew Pub in Saskatoon after "a scuffle." The two groups did not know each other and Burley did not offer any more details about the altercation.
Burley said that he later invited Swift and Belhumeur to his house "to make amends." Burley accompanied them in a cab, with Lishcka and Ritzand travelling in Burley's white Honda Civic.
Burley said Swift became drunk and belligerent at the house.
"He was drunk and shouting … just being an asshole," Burley said.
At one point, the five decided to leave. Burley said he knew that Belhumeur wanted to be buy cocaine and that he "went along for the drive." He said he never saw them buy the drugs.
They then went to a Shell gas station and then out to the country, Burley testified. He said Swift became violent in the car and attacked Lischka. They pulled over and the two men got out of the car.
Burley said the two men were behind the car so he did not see what happened. He said Ritzand left the car at one point as well. Burley said he stayed in the car with Belhumeur because he believed she was going to steal pre-paid VISA cards he'd bought earlier.
At one point, Belhumeur also left the car, Burley said.
The trial took a testy turn when defence lawyer Nicholas Stooshinoff, who represents Lischka, began cross-examining Burley about his own criminal history.
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