Crown alleges Johnathan Keenatch died in drug rip-off gone bad

A jury in Saskatoon is hearing the details Wednesday of Johnathan Keenatch's violent final hours.

The 35-year-old died of a stab wound on Nov.17, 2014. Keith Napope, 31, is charged with robbery and manslaughter.

Napope's trial is underway at Court of Queen's Bench.

• Police in Saskatoon charge man in 2014 stabbing death

TheCrown's theory is that Keenatch died during a drug robbery that went bad.

The jury is hearing thatKeenatch was a small-time drug dealer who worked out of an apartment building on 20th Street W. The building was secure, with tenants either buzzing in guests orcoming down and letting them in manually.

Prosecutors allege that Keenatchsent his nephew down to the back door of the building just before midnight on Nov. 16, believing that he was letting in customers.

Instead, The Crown says Napope and some other men overpowered the nephew and then stormed the apartment.

Keenatchwas fatallystabbed in front of his 95-year-old father, who also stayed in the apartment, the Crown alleges.

Wednesday morning, variouspolice officers who responded to the 911 call to the apartment testified about what they saw when they arrived.

Keenatchwas bleeding and lying on the kitchen floor. His distraught 95-year-old father was in a wheelchair in another room.

There were baggies of white powder, a razor blade and a scale on a living-room table. There was also a box of cellphones,as well as surveillance equipment, inside the apartment.

It appeared the apartment door had been kicked open, and there was blood on the doorknob and on the walls, police said on Wednesday.

The trial continues all week.