Alberta man charged in death of Saskatoon mother waits for decision

An Alberta man accused of ordering a gang hit that led to a Saskatoon mother being killed is awaiting the decision of a judge after the argument phase of his first-degree murder trial finished Wednesday.

In September 2012, 34-year-old Lorry Santos, a mother of four, was shot dead in her home by two members of an Alberta-based street gang called “The White Boy Posse.” According to testimony, the men were supposed to kill T.J. Cromatrie, a member of the gang who was trying to leave the group.

READ MORE: Teen pleads guilty to second-degree murder in death of 6-week-old baby in Saskatoon

Senior Crown prosecutor Matthew Miazga argued Wednesday that Joshua Petrin, 33, was the leader of the gang and ordered the hit, however the killers were given the wrong house address. He said that even though murdering Santos wasn’t the exact target, the action was planned and Petrin bears responsibility.

“If you intend to kill one person and by accident or mistake kill another person, that still is murder, because what’s important is your intent,” Miazga said to reporters after the proceedings finished.

“The fact that you intend to inflict that harm on ‘A’ or to kill ‘A’ and by accident you kill ‘B’, does not change that fact that you’re still guilty of murder.”

READ MORE: Additional charge laid in fatal Circle Drive crash

Pfefferle also argued that some witness testimony had changed drastically compared to when those same people took the stand at the previous trial of Petrin’s co-accused.

“They were sworn to give sworn testimony, they were asked to tell the truth, they were compelled to tell the truth and they gave two completely different versions of events,” Pfefferle said.

“They were either lying here, or they were lying before in a first-degree murder trial.”

Petrin also faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. The judge in the case will state her decision on the morning of Nov. 3.