Roadside killing of OPP officer Greg Pierzchala a 'joint effort,' Crown tells Cayuga, Ont., trial

Justin Chandler · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 22, 2025 6:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 22 minutes ago

Nearly a period aft the commencement of the trial into the sidesplitting of an Ontario Provincial Police constable, the Crown began its closing arguments, arguing Tuesday that Randall McKenzie changeable and killed Greg Pierzchala and Brandi Stewart-Sperry helped him bash it.

McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry person pleaded not blameworthy to first-degree murder in the 2022 shooting decease of Pierzchala, 28. Their Superior Court proceedings successful Cayuga began successful precocious March and heard from witnesses including experts successful forensics, radical connected the country earlier and during the alleged crime, and those who saw the co-accused aft the shooting.  

"They supported each other" during the alleged crime, Crown lawyer Fraser McCracken said, calling it a "joint effort." 

McCracken presented a communicative successful which, aft a drawstring of thefts, including of a Nissan Armada successful Hamilton, the co-accused recovered themselves stuck successful a ditch successful a stolen SUV adjacent Hagersville. When a young constabulary serviceman arrived connected the scene, they could either surrender oregon "eliminate the threat," helium said.

Crown argues McKenzie the shooter in bodycam footage

Stewart-Sperry has admitted to being astatine the country of the shooting and being the pistillate shown successful video captured by Pierzchala's bodycam. McKenzie has not admitted to being the shooter who was seen successful the video firing six shots astatine Pierzchala. The serviceman is also heard screaming successful the footage.

McCracken spent a important information of his 90-minute closing statement making the lawsuit McKenzie is that shooter. He referred to representation investigation comparing their faces, similarities betwixt covering worn by the shooter and McKenzie erstwhile helium was arrested hours later, witnesser grounds and DNA grounds linking McKenzie to the stolen conveyance and handgun helium said the shooter used. 

McKenzie's lawyer, Douglas Holt, used his closing statement to poke holes successful that communicative and reason the assemblage should person tenable uncertainty that McKenzie changeable Pierzchala. 

He pointed to respective parts of the Crown's lawsuit and argued they weren't arsenic coagulated arsenic presented. For instance, helium said, the shooter near a brace of pants with McKenzie's DNA connected them successful the stolen car. 

Shooter's individuality not beyond tenable doubt: defence

"If Randall McKenzie was the shooter, wherefore wouldn't helium instrumentality his pants with him?" Holt asked the jury.

He besides argued witnesses said the shooter wore a achromatic jacket, but not a achromatic overgarment with a reddish lining similar McKenzie had connected erstwhile helium was arrested. He said they incorrectly described his client's look tattoos — markings helium said are not disposable successful the bodycam footage.

Meanwhile, McCracken said, the bodycam video was compressed and immoderate good details were apt lost. He besides said the shooter's hood and chapeau could person obscured the tattoos. 

As for the grounds that McKenzie's DNA was connected the weapon that changeable Pierzchala, Holt argued determination is "no grounds helium was successful exclusive entree and power of that firearm" and idiosyncratic other could person utilized it.

"There's an inference — a tenable inference — that Randall and the shooter are not 1 and the same," helium said.

The assemblage has heard McKenzie texted radical astir "shooting retired with the cops," but Holt said it's hard to recognize the intent of those statements, since code doesn't construe implicit text.

Stewart-Sperry's lawyer to talk Wednesday

On Wednesday, Stewart-Sperry's lawyer, Scott Reid, is expected to contiguous closing arguments.

McCracken argued she was a consenting subordinate successful the shooting, she helped McKenzie successful the enactment by making it hard for Pierzchala to spot him and she tried to screen up the crime, including by attempting to fell the getaway vehicle. 

"Their shared plan, the teamwork, and now, the accountability," McCracken said.

Early successful the trial, Stewart-Sperry's lawyer asked witnesses whether she seemed intoxicated anterior to the shooting. Many agreed she did. 

McCracken said her actions aft the shooting amusement she knew what she was doing. 

"It's logical, goal-oriented behaviour," helium said.