Crown stays cold case double murder charges for second time in a week

Andrew Jeffrey · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 13, 2025 7:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 15 minutes ago

For the 2nd clip successful a week, a Calgary antheral facing 2 counts of first-degree execution successful a historical homicide volition beryllium released from custody.

The Crown announced connected Friday it has stayed some of the charges against Leonard Cochrane, 55, owed to a "significant contented with the evidence." The determination comes 1 week aft the co-accused, Stuart MacGregor, saw his execution charges dropped for the aforesaid reason.

In 2023, Cochrane was convicted on two counts of first-degree execution successful the 1994 fatal shootings of Barry Buchart and Trevor Deakins. Cochrane was serving a beingness sentence.

MacGregor was besides facing 2 counts of first-degree execution for the deaths, with a proceedings acceptable to instrumentality place in November, when the charges against him were stayed past week.

The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service said successful a connection connected Friday that it encountered a important contented with the grounds successful MacGregor's case, which was "ultimately determined to beryllium insurmountable." The contented led to the determination to merchandise Cochrane from custody, arsenic well.

"Crown prosecutors person besides conducted a thorough introspection of the disposable admissible grounds successful the prosecution of Mr. Cochrane, exploring each imaginable paths forward," the Crown's connection said. 

"However, the aforesaid issues encountered successful Mr. MacGregor's record interaction the record of Mr. Cochrane, and the substance was stayed connected June 13, 2025."

On Monday, the Crown announced it had consented to a retrial for Cochrane.

Charges were laid successful the 1994 treble execution with the assistance of familial genealogical investigative techniques. Investigators tracked down household members of the suspect, which yet led to Cochrane's apprehension aft his DNA was matched to humor recovered astatine the transgression scene.

Balfour Der, Cochrane's defence lawyer, said connected Friday helium was pleased with the result, and maintained Cochrane should person been recovered not blameworthy astatine his trial.

"This lawsuit involves caller and important privateness rights considerations for each Canadians," Der said successful an emailed statement. "That contented volition not beryllium decided due to the fact that the lawsuit has been stayed, but I americium definite it [will] travel up again connected different case."

On July 11, 1994, 2 men broke into a location successful Calgary's southeast Radisson Heights neighbourhood, wherever Buchart and Deakins were killed. Both victims were changeable astatine point-blank range. The probe into their deaths went acold for decades earlier constabulary reopened the probe successful 2019.

Cochrane was charged successful 2020. MacGregor was charged 3 years aboriginal successful 2023.

In a connection to CBC News past week astir MacGregor's charges being stayed, a Calgary Police Service (CPS) spokesperson said CPS was incapable to talk publically astir its probe into the treble homicide due to privateness considerations and different limitations.

The CPS connection said the transition of clip successful acold cases tin contiguous challenges, specified arsenic changes successful grounds standards, investigative techniques and ineligible framework.

"While we cannot talk specifically astir this case, our attack to homicide investigations has evolved considerably since the 90s, and practices that were erstwhile modular whitethorn disagree from those we travel today," the connection said.

CPS said connected Friday it had nary further remark to adhd aft Cochrane's charges were stayed.