Edmonton Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Wayne Renke heard that Christopher Hermkens, used an assault-style rifle to fire 12 shots within a few seconds into Raymond Dumont’s vehicle on an April evening in 2019.
Dumont was shot in the head and his girlfriend Chelsey Hart sustained injuries from the shrapnel. Dumont’s foot remained on the gas causing the car to careen out of control into the sign at the nearby Rendell Park School, the court heard.
Judge Renke sentenced Hermkens to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
The court also got evidence that Hermkens was offered $105,000 to do the killing, but only collected $15,000 after the job. Also that the contract killer had never met his 32-year-old victim and employed Mark Moran to identify the victim.
Moran’s trial is expected to start in Spring 2023.
The court heard that Hermkens left Lloydminster at high speed and burned the getaway car outside Sherwood Park in an effort to destroy the evidence.
Upon his arrest, he was held at the Edmonton Remand Centre and was recorded in a phone call saying, “I got him, this woman. Pretty sure I got the kid too.”
The court also learned of several instances of Hermkens asking witnesses not to testify.
Dumont’s girlfriend revealed to the court that she fears if Hermkens ever gets out of prison, he will seek revenge against herself and her family.
Dumont’s mother in her victim impact statement to the court expressed her anguish saying that greed, selfishness, jealousy and entitlement combined to end her son’s life that night.