The court heard that a debt of drug money, as well as a messy love triangle were the main motives in the 2015 murder of Jordan Taylor McLeod.
Three men - brothers Darren Sundman and Kurtis Sundman, and Sebastian Martin - are each facing a count of first-degree murder related to the Jan. 16, 2015 death of then-24-year old Jordan Taylor McLeod. All men had been involved in trafficking cocaine and were heavy users of methamphetamine, the court heard.
The prosecution's case against the three accused had relied significantly on the testimony of Stacey Stevenson, who was a witness to the killing of McLeod. She also took part in efforts to hide both his body and evidence afterwards, according to her previous testimony.
Stevenson had been in a relationship with Darren, but had separated from him. She had testified that she had then become involved in a relationship with McLeod prior to Jan. 16.
Crown prosecutor Joseph Temple concluded his submission on Tuesday, summarizing the evidence linking Sundman, Sundman and Martin with the killing of McLeod. The three accused and McLeod had arrived at a trailer in Vanderhoof belonging to Stevenson's friend on the night of Jan. 16. Stevenson had been staying there. Darren had told Stevenson to come along with them. Prior to their arrival, Stevenson had been doing her nails and taking methamphetamine.
Stevenson had testified that during a drive from Vanderhoof to Prince George, the Sundman brothers had become enraged at McLeod after reading text messages on his phone. Darren had said the messages indicated McLeod had been overcharging them for drugs and that messages contained threats to both Darren and his mother.
Darren had begun hitting McLeod in the back of the head with a Glock handgun. Martin had been seated behind McLeod with a shotgun between his legs. McLeod had jumped out of the vehicle after it had slowed down on curve on Upper Fraser Rd. and the three men had then jumped out in pursuit. Stevenson had testified that she heard several shots, followed by Martin saying "I got him boss." McLeod's lifeless body was then loaded into the back of Kurtis' pickup truck. The three had attempted to dispose of McLeod's body off the Kaykay Forest Service Road, past the end of Nukko Lake Road.
Temple argued that shells from a 12-gauge shotgun, a Glock 40-calibre handgun and a birdshot weapon were recovered from the scene near Upper Fraser Rd. Blood from the scene matched McLeod's, and his blood was found within a Silverado pickup that belonged to Kurtis. Temple also argued that the cell tower triangulation of the location of McLeod's two cell phones on Jan. 16 provided corroboration for Stevenson's testimony.
Temple argued that the murder was pre-meditated and that there was motivation.
"You could tell from texts that Stacey was in a sexual relationship with Jordan McLeod," Temple said.
He drew attention to a text from Darren to Stevenson that read "you better not have talked to Coose," referring to McLeod's nickname.
Temple also said both Sundman brothers had owed a sum of drug money to McLeod, and that the two had been under the impression that McLeod was bypassing them in the sale of other drugs.
The arguments in defense for the three accused began on Tuesday as well. The counsel for the accused argued that little was known about what precisely happened on the night of Jan. 16, 2015.
"Ms. Stevenson is the only evidence of what happened in that vehicle. We can't be sure," the defense lawyer argued.
The defense argued that Stevenson has been offered an immunity agreement in exchange for testifying, and that her motive for testifying against the Sundman brothers and Martin was based on self-preservation.
"There is no evidence that she is motivated by anything other than her own self-interest," he said.
The trial will continue on Wednesday.
