The Crown is alleging that a drug turf dispute is the backdrop for the murder of Raymond ‘Ray Ray’ Dumont in Lloydminster in April 2019.
This as the murder trial against Christopher Hermkens and Mark Moran opened on Friday in Edmonton. Both men are charged in connection with the death of Dumont who was shot multiple times in a Lloydminster neighbourhood on the evening of Saturday April 27th, 2019.
The Crown presented that RCMP was called to 56 Avenue and 31 Street at approximately 7:40 p.m. and found the deceased behind the steering wheel of a car.
Moran is being tried separately as his lawyer was not able to appear on Friday.
Prosecutor Dallas Sopko outlined the Crown’s case against Hermkens indicating the motivation was to remove the competition.
“This case is about an ongoing feud between two members of the Lloydminster drug subculture. A feud between Steven Thorne, an unindicted co-conspirator, and the deceased, Ray Dumont.”
Sopko noted that while Dumont was serving jail time, his girlfriend Chelsey Hart started a relationship with Thorne an alleged drug dealer also known as “Crazy”.
The Crown continued that Dumont was released from jail a few days before his death and made it known that he wasn’t happy with Thorne.
The Crown indicated that their case will show that Thorne and his affiliates hired Hermkens using a bounty of $100,000 that had been placed on the head of Dumont as the motivation.
The Crown said that Hermkens who lived in Edmonton prepared a handgun and assault-style rifle and when he got to Lloydminster, sought help from Moran to correctly point out the victim as he did not know Dumont.
The Crown presented that Moran allegedly had the handgun and Hermkens had the assault-style rifle, they used walkie-talkies to communicate and two stolen vehicles as they searched for Dumont.
The Crown continued that Dumont and his girlfriend were driving home. They were within metres of their front door when Moran drove up next to Dumont’s car.
The Crown says Dumont’s girlfriend heard the words,’Is this him.’ Then she saw Moran nod and someone came alongside her passenger door.
Sopko presented that multiple rounds from the assault-style rifle were fired into Dumont’s car.
“Ray was shot in the head as well as in other parts of his body and died immediately. One of the bullets passed through the car and struck Moran in the leg.”
Dumont’s car subsequently crashed into the sign at Rendell Park School.
Police recovered 12 spent shells from the scene. Dumont’s girlfriend sustained shrapnel injuries. Moran fled the scene, but had to get medical help for his injury.
Hermkens was arrested two weeks later in Calgary. The Crown said he was only paid $5,000.
Defence lawyer Paul Moreau says the Crown’s presentation “just doesn’t make any sense.”
He says his client is deep in the drug subculture, but that doesn’t make him guilty of murder.
The trial is expected to continue for two weeks.