Alberta court rules two men guilty in deadly roadside shooting east of Calgary

A jury in an Alberta court found two men guilty of second‑degree murder on Saturday for shooting and killing Colin Hough, 45, an employee of Rocky View County, in a roadside attack east of Calgary on August 6, 2024. After the verdict, the victim’s wife was seen sharing an emotional hug with the prosecutor.

According to The Canadian Press, jurors concluded that Arthur Penner and Elijah Strawberry shot and killed Hough on a rural road in the city after deliberating for 14 hours. “I love you,” Laurie Hough said to prosecutor Photini Popadatou as they embraced after the verdict, as quoted by the news agency.

Neither Arthur Penner nor Elijah Strawberry appeared surprised by the court’s decisions, standing with their hands clasped in front of them as the verdicts were read. The jury also found both men guilty of two counts of armed robbery, including stealing Colin Hough’s vehicle and attempting to take the vehicle of FortisAlberta surveyor Matthew Andres, who was shot through the arm at the same location.

Here’s what happened?

Andres was approached by two men driving a vehicle that apparently had a flat tire when one of them shot him through the arm, demanded his keys, and pointed a gun at his head. He managed to flee and from a distance saw the truck driven by the accused set on fire as Colin Hough arrived to investigate.

According to him, Penner and Strawberry then ran toward Hough’s vehicle and opened fire, hitting him three times and leaving him on the road before stealing his vehicle. Andres said the men were masked and he could not positively identify them as Penner and Strawberry. The two were originally charged with attempted murder, but Court of King’s Bench Justice Shane Parker withdrew the charge and acquitted them.

Strawberry and Penner to face life sentence

Strawberry and Penner are set to a mandatory life sentence of 25 years, according to the Canadian Press. The jury was asked to provide recommendations on how long each man should serve before becoming eligible for parole, with suggestions ranging from the minimum of 10 years to as many as 25 years. A sentencing date was set for October 16, and Strawberry’s lawyer, Rebecca Snukul, requested both a forensic mental assessment and a Gladue report for her client.

Penner’s lawyer, Alex Seaman, also sought a Gladue report, which is often used in sentencing Indigenous individuals. Sentencing arguments are not expected to take place until November at the earliest.