Cold case murder trial hears from retired cops first on scene at double killing in 1994

A Calgary cold case murder trial got underway Monday, nearly 30 years after two men were fatally shot in the home they shared in the city's southeast.

Leonard Cochrane, now 53, is on trial on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Barry Buchart, 26, and Trevor Deakins, 25.

"Nineteen-ninety-fourwas a long time ago," said prosecutor Carla MacPhail in her opening address to the judge.

"If they were alive today, those young men would have been 54 and 55 years old."

• 26 'long and agonizing' years end with arrest of Calgary man in 1994 double homicide as 2nd suspect sought

The Crown's theory, presented by prosecutors MacPhailand James Thomas,is that Cochrane was one of two masked men who broke into the victims' home on July 11, 1994, to steal drugs or money. The second suspect has never been identified or charged.

In her opening statement to Court of King's Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi, MacPhail outlined many of the details expected to be presented through Crown witnesses throughout the trial.

2 masked intruders

At the time of his death, Buchart sold marijuana out of his suite in the Radisson Heights fourplex.

The night they were killed, neighbours heard sounds of a struggle just after 1:30 a.m.

Mark Nortcliffe, one of the other residents of the fourplex, had been with the victims earlier in the night but returned to his suite and went to bed around 11:30 p.m., said MacPhail.

Nortcliffe told police he was awoken by a commotion; screaming and barking dogs.

A masked man ran into his bedroom, told him to stay in bed and looked out the window before returning to the downstairs apartment, according to MacPhail.

'I'm dying'

More sounds of a fight followed.

MacPhail said she expects Nortcliffe to testify he heard screaming.

"Give me my f--king money back," followed by, "hit him Trevor, hit him."

Then, gunshots.

MacPhail expects Northcott will testify he heard Buchart saying, "I'm dying, I'm dying" before climbing out a window and calling 911.

ConstableRobert Snape,now retired, was the first officer on scene that night.

Video of murder scene played in court

Snape testified Monday, telling the judge that he arrived around 2:20 a.m. to find the apartment in disarray.

Cushions were flipped over, drawers had been opened and there were holes in the drywall.

"Signs of a struggle," said Snape.

A video of the bloody scene was played in court through the Crown's second witness, another retired constable, Collin Neill.

The video shows the two victims dead on the floor of the apartment; Buchart on his stomach, Deakins as if he'd fallen back while kneeling with his hands up.

A machete was found beside Buchart.

There was blood on the knife. Eventually, police were able to match the DNA from the blood to both victims as well as Cochrane, said MacPhail.

Cochrane isrepresented by defence lawyers Balfour Der and James McLeod.