Arrests made in beer store robbery that led to killing of employee, 19

Three men are in custody in connection with the killing of a 19-year-old beer store employee.

John Lloyd Barrion was reportedly working alone, finishing the end of his shift at a vendor on Notre Dame Avenue on Feb. 15, when he was killed in a robbery just after 3 a.m.

The day after the murder, 37-year-old Robert Gordon Francis was arrested in a traffic stop initiated by a K-9 unit, after a police dog was able to identify a suspect vehicle.

Francis has been charged with manslaughter, armed robbery using a firearm, accessory after the fact to murder, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

Two other arrests were made on Friday.

William Arthur Sampson, 51, was arrested at a Grant Park-area home and charged with second-degree murder, armed robbery using a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon or prohibited device, and eight counts of possessing a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.

Police arrested Ryan Jeron Smith, 40, in the William Whyte neighbourhood after a short chase. He faces a second-degree murder charge, as well as armed robbery using a firearm, and a half-dozen other weapons and driving charges.

0:33 Beer vendor employee victim in Notre Dame homicide

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Const. Dani McKinnon said the different charges result from consultations with the Crown.

“The level of charge all takes into account the intent and the planning of the homicide,” she said.

“Manslaughter would be a little bit less when you compare it to a second-degree murder charge — a second-degree murder charge is usually a hands-off offence. It depends on the role that person played in the killing.”

McKinnon said the victim and suspects didn’t know each other prior to the robbery.

“This is a very sad incident — not to downplay any of the other homicides we investigate,” she said.

“The victim, John Barrion, was very beloved in his community,” she said. “This was an unexpected set of circumstances where this robbery took place.”

2:41 ‘I don’t want it to happen again’: Mother of 19-year-old homicide victim speaks out