Murder conviction a ‘big relief’ for victim’s relatives

Baptiste’s brother says verdict was answer to prayers

It took a Calgary jury a little more than six hours over two days to find Curtis Healy guilty Friday of first-degree murder in the rape and beating death of Dawns Echoes Baptiste.

In a day that saw Healy’s lawyer unsuccessfully seek a mistrial after learning sequestered jurors had been taken for drinks at a hotel lounge, the six-man, six-woman jury ultimately agreed with the Crown on Healy’s guilt.

Prosecutor Carla MacPhail had argued Healy intentionally killed Baptiste, 31, in the course of an unlawful confinement and sexual assault.

Under provisions of the Criminal Code, a murder committed in the course of such crimes is automatically elevated to first degree.

Defence lawyer Shamsher Kothari had argued Healy should only be convicted of second-degree murder in connection with the Feb. 11, 2015, killing. Kothari said a nearly three-hour time gap between when Healy and Baptiste were captured on CTrain station CCTV and security footage from a 7-Eleven store showing Healy alone meant the rape and killings may not have been one continuous event.

Healy, 29, showed no outward emotion as the jury foreman read the verdict.

“Guilty as charged, guilty of first-degree murder,” he said, as members of Baptiste’s family let out a collective sigh of relief.

Her crying relatives then hugged each other outside the courtroom after Justice Charlene Anderson adjourned sentencing to Monday.

At that time, the Court of Queen’s Bench judge will commit Healy to a mandatory life sentence without parole for a minimum 25 years, after hearing victim-impact statements from Baptiste’s survivors.

MacPhail said three relatives had already written statements and others expressed interest in filing their own.

Brother Alex Baptiste, spoke following the ruling.

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride, but we all stuck it out,” said Baptiste, who attended every day of the two-week trial.

With other family members by his side, Baptiste said hearing the foreman say “guilty as charged” took a weight off.

“It was a big relief, it’s like, ‘Oh my God,’” he said. “God answered our prayers.”

But he said the ruling won’t bring his sister back.

“We lost a woman that was really strong, she stood beside us … she helped us out.”

He said the verdict was not only important for his family, but the relatives of all murdered or missing Indigenous women.

Healy confessed to killing and raping Baptiste in a fit of rage when the victim told him to “f--- off.”