SASKATOON – A judge has found Randy O’Hagan guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Lorry Santos.
Santos, a mother of four, was killed on the morning of Sept. 12, 2012 when O’Hagan targeted the wrong house after being ordered to kill a former gang member of the White Boy Posse.
“This murder was planned and deliberate,” stated Justice Ronald Mills in handing down his verdict.
Mills said the evidence was “overwhelming” against O’Hagan as he sentenced him to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
O’Hagan appeared non-reactive as the verdict was read.
On April 23, closing arguments were heard in the case, with the Crown arguing three points as to why the shooting of Santos was not only homicide but first-degree murder.
“This murder was planned and deliberate, that’s one way you can be found guilty of first degree murder,” said Senior Crown Prosecutor Matthew Miazga.
“A second way that you can be found guilty that we argued that this was a contract killing and the third way we argued that this killing was done in association or at the direction of a criminal organization being the white boy posse and as such it would be first-degree murder.”
Miazga also contended that even if Santos wasn’t the intended target that day but rather a gang affiliate, it didn’t matter.
“If you intent to kill A and then by mistake you kill B it’s irrelevant because you had the intent needed at the time you killed B and whether you intended to B or A doesn’t matter it’s the fact that you intended to kill somebody,” said Miazga at the time of closing arguments.
During the trial, court heard from Ferdinand Santos, the husband of Lorry Santos.
He testified that on the morning of Sept. 12, 2012, he heard a series of gunshots, a pause, followed by more gunshots as he stood in the master bedroom bathroom of their Westview neighbourhood home.
Ferdinand testified he would then find Lorry, who moments before was playing with their newborn baby, lying in the hallway in the arms of their youngest daughter as their oldest daughter called 911.
This was the last time Ferdinand would see his wife alive.
Santos was pronounced dead at 6:54 a.m. at Royal University Hospital as a result of a single gunshot wound after the bullet went through both lungs, her heart and tore her aorta leading to excessive blood loss
At the time, Santos was on maternity leave.
Evidence during the seven day trial included two handguns recovered by police believed to be the murder weapons and that a total eight shots had been fired at the Santos home.
At the time of the shooting, police described the suspect’s vehicle as a newer four-door Acura, silver in colour with tinted windows.
Several witnesses testified during the trial that they noted the vehicle because of its Alberta license plate and the tinted windows.
Karissa Dow, the girlfriend of a high ranking White Boy Posse gang member, testified that on Sept. 12, 2012, O’Hagan borrowed her vehicle for several hours, returning it dusty both inside and out.
Dow’s vehicle would match the description given by police as the suspect’s vehicle.
O’Hagan is also charged in the first-degree murder of Bryan Gower, 35, whose body was found on a rural road near Kitscoty, Alta. on Sept. 25, 2012. His preliminary hearing for this charge is scheduled for July 14.
He is also charged in the first-degree murder of 54-year old Robert John Roth Sr. of Lloydminster, whose partial remains were found near Ranfurly, Alta. on Oct. 20, 2012. The victim’s severed head was found in Edmonton on Oct. 25, 2012.
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