The alleged accomplice of an accused contract killer has told a B.C. jury he “froze” and was unable to pull the trigger the night of the slaying.
But the witness, whose identity is covered by a publication ban and has been referred to as “Person X,” told the court he watched Brandon Teixeira kill Nicolas Khabra.
Teixeira has pleaded not guilty to three charges — first-degree murder, attempted murder and discharging a firearm — in the October 2017 attack that left Khabra dead and another person injured.
On the stand Monday, Person X was candid as he told jurors about his extensive criminal history, including armed robberies, assaults and drug deals dating back to when he was 13 years old.
He went on to testify he had conspired with Teixeira to kill Khabra and was there when the 28-year-old was killed.
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“Who was it that attacked him?” Crown prosecutor Joe Bellows asked.
“Brandon … he shot him and stabbed him,” Person X replied.
“Why didn’t you participate as you had agreed to do?” Bellows asked.
“I froze,” Person X replied.
Last month, the court heard the two men had been paid $160,000 to kill Khabra.
Person X ultimately cut a lucrative deal with the RCMP, signing a contract to become a paid ‘police agent’ in August 2018, one year after the killing.
The police contract included an $8,000 per month stipend, plus expenses, for a total of half a million dollars at the conclusion of his involvement, the court heard.
He also signed a plea deal with Crown for his involvement in the killing, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. He was handed a five-year sentence; the maximum sentence for the offence is life in prison.
Person X’s testimony is slated to continue Tuesday.
With files from Rumina Daya
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