EDMONTON – Prosecutors say a former armoured car guard who has admitted to killing three of his colleagues should get life in prison with no chance of parole for 40 years.
Such a penalty would be the first under a new federal law dealing with multiple murders.
Travis Baumgartner has pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder in the death of Eddie Rejano, two counts of second-degree murder for Michelle Shegelski and Brian Ilesic and one count of attempted murder for injuring Matthew Schuman.
He had been charged with first-degree murder in all three deaths, and the robbery with firearm charges have been stayed.
The Crown says there were many aggravating factors in the crime, including a betrayal of trust and the fact he – quote – “did it all for money.”
Family members were delivering victim impact statements immediately after the guilty pleas Monday.
For our ongoing coverage of the University of Alberta shooting, click here
An overnight crew of five armed guards was reloading ATM machines on the university campus in June 2012 when shots rang out.
When the shooting stopped, 26-year-old Shegelski, 35-year-old Ilesic and 39-year-old Rejano lay dead.
Schuman, who was 25, was rushed to hospital and miraculously survived a bullet to the head.
A statement of facts entered in court says Baumgartner shot three guards in the head as they stood with their backs to him, then returned to the waiting armoured truck and shot a fourth co-worker.
Court was told he had joked with a friend about robbing his employer and had sent a text that said: “This is the night.”
Court heard that Baumgartner owed friends money, had just bought a new truck and had argued with his mother about rent before his last shift.
“At least I don’t have to pay for the truck anymore,” he told an undercover police officer after his arrest. “No bills for me.”
Police quickly named Baumgartner, who was 21, as a suspect after the early-morning shootings. He was arrested the next day in British Columbia at a Canada-U.S. border crossing. Police said they found $334,000 in a backpack he had with him.
The agreed statement says Baumgartner claimed he’d been kidnapped and had been told by a man to drive to Seattle or his family would be killed. He said he didn’t remember the last few days.
Search warrants revealed that his mother told officers she woke up the morning of the shooting to find $64,000 in cash in her home.
Questions about how G4S screens its employees arose as details were uncovered about the accused shooter. Last fall, company president Jean Taillon said a review was done after the shooting, but the same policies are still in use.
The Facebook page of a Travis Baumgartner posted quotes by the anarchist Joker from the movie “Dark Knight.” The movie included a violent bank heist. The profile picture on the Facebook page showed a person wearing sunglasses and a mask.
Two weeks before the shooting, the page also had a post that mused: “I wonder if I’d make the six o’clock news if I just starting popping people off.”
A former co-worker who trained with Baumgartner said he acted odd on the job and his moods sometimes changed suddenly.
Global News reporters Emily Mertz and Laurel Clark are tweeting live from the courtroom. Follow our live blog below:
With files from Global News reporter Emily Mertz
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