Man found guilty of killing his teenaged roommate

New Brunswick native, 18, had moved to Alberta to work, but died two months later

The father of an 18-year-old New Brunswick man said his son was “too young” when he moved to Alberta for work, only to be murdered less than two months later.

On Wednesday, Garrett Michael Oshvalda, 58, was convicted of second-degree murder and neglect of a dead body in connection to the 2014 death of Allen Neil Wilson. The two men were living as roommates on a farm near Stony Plain owned by Oshvalda’s father at the time of Wilson’s death.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Sterling Sanderman ruled Wednesday that while there was no direct evidence that Oshvalda killed Wilson, Crown prosecutor Dallas Sopko’s case based on circumstantial evidence was “compelling” enough to convince him there was no other reasonable explanation.

Oshvalda’s defence lawyer, Eamon O’Keefe, had argued three of Wilson’s co-workers could have been responsible due to a drugrelated dispute.

According to an agreed statement of facts, Wilson’s death happened on or about Sept. 18, 2014.

Sanderman found that after shooting Wilson three times at the farm, Oshvalda used a truck to transport the younger man’s body to a rural area near Highway 16 and Parkland Drive, where he abandoned it.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Wilson’s father, Neil Wilson, following the verdict.

He and Wilson’s stepmother, Wendy LeBlanc, who travelled from New Brunswick to sit through the lengthy trial, said they were “happy” with the verdict.

“He was too young to come here,” the father said of his teenaged son, who made his way to Alberta for work right after graduating from high school in the Maritimes.

The father said his son had been enjoying working in Alberta — he was among friends from back home and his employer was treating him well.

Wilson’s mother also attended the trial and was called as a witness during the proceedings. She burst into tears upon hearing the verdict.

While delivering his decision, Sanderman spoke about the ongoing tensions between Wilson and Oshvalda at the time of the murder.

“They were not getting along. Allen was an irritant to Gary’s life,” Sanderman said.

During the trial, court heard evidence that the two men had fights over keys and food, and that Oshvalda confronted Wilson with a shotgun.

Sanderman said the medical examiner’s finding that Wilson had been shot with a .410 shotgun with ammunition that matched a type owned by Oshvalda, combined with the evidence that Oshvalda’s gun was never recovered after Wilson’s death, played a part in his conclusion.

After the guilty verdict, Oshvalda’s bail was revoked at the request of the Crown.

Oshvalda spoke quietly to his lawyer as sheriffs handcuffed him and led him from the courtroom.

The case is expected to be back in court Friday for sentencing.

They were not getting along. Allen was an irritant to Gary’s life. COURT OF QUEEN’S BENCH JUSTICE STERLING SANDERMAN