'Depraved' beating, drugging, dismemberment of young man nets 8-year sentence for Calgary drug dealer

Meghan Grant · CBC News

· Posted: May 23, 2025 3:41 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

WARNING: This story contains graphic details

A Calgary cause trader who instigated an onslaught that led to a beating, fatal fentanyl changeable and dismemberment of a young antheral was handed an eight-year situation condemnation Friday. 

Originally charged with second-degree execution successful the April 2022 decease of Keanan Crane, Darren Bulldog pleaded blameworthy to manslaughter past period aft negotiations betwixt defence lawyer Anna Konye and prosecutors Aaron Rankin and Britta Kristensen.

Crane was fatally attacked connected April 7, 2022. Parts of his dismembered assemblage were recovered a period aboriginal connected the Mînî Thnî First Nation, formerly known arsenic Morley. 

In handing down the sentence, Court of King's Bench Justice David Labrenz called the sidesplitting "shocking."

• Calgary cause trader who directed fatal onslaught pleads blameworthy to manslaughter

During the plea, Labrenz heard that Crane was homeless, dealing drugs for Bulldog and owed him $300 aft immoderate of the drugs helium was meant to merchantability were confiscated by police. 

On the nighttime helium was killed, Crane showed up astatine the location of Jason Tait, on with 2 friends. Several radical were astatine Tait's location astatine the time. 

Bulldog 'signalled' to commencement attack

Shortly aft the unfortunate arrived, Bulldog confronted him astir the indebtedness and past "signalled" to the others successful the room, who began to battle the 22-year-old, according to the agreed connection of facts. 

Several radical successful the home began assaulting Crane and past bound his hands and feet with duct portion earlier administering a "hot shot" — a lethal dose of fentanyl.  

Crane's assemblage was past taken to a bathroom, wherever helium was dismembered. 

"It's senseless and incomprehensible to recognize however somebody, adjacent with the prospects of wanting to enforce a cause indebtedness ... would edifice to employing individuals … to administer a beating and a lethal injection of fentanyl," said Labrenz.

"The transgression is depraved."

DNA connected cigarette

During the attack, Crane's 2 friends were prevented from leaving and their cellphones were taken from them. They were besides "threatened with unit if they spoke astir what they saw," according to the agreed connection of facts. 

Bulldog forced the brace to constitute down their addresses.

Weeks aft his disappearance, immoderate of Crane's remains were recovered westbound of the city. Nearby, constabulary recovered a cigaret butt with Bulldog's DNA connected it. 

With recognition for the clip he's already spent successful custody, Bulldog has astir four-and-a-half years near to serve.

Last month, Tait was convicted of accessory aft the information to execution and has yet to beryllium sentenced.