2016 shooting death occurred during robbery attempt, Crown tells jury

A drug ripoff or an attempt to settle a debt led to a 2016 shooting that took the life of Andre Joseph Aubertin, Crown prosecutor Mitchell Miller alleged Monday before a Regina jury.

It was the start of a trial for a man accused of playing a role in 56-year-old Aubertin’s March 29, 2016, death. Elwin Michael Goodpipe, 35, is accused of manslaughter and robbery.

Prior to jurors hearing evidence, Miller took a few minutes to provide them with what he termed a “roadmap” of the case the Crown intends to call during the trial, expected to last two weeks.

With 18 witnesses on the list, Miller told jurors he expects them to hear Goodpipe was part of a plan to rob an acquaintance, Aubertin, either to settle a drug debt or to take any cash or drugs he had in his house.

Miller said the Crown intends to prove Goodpipe and a second man left a house at 915 Argyle St., the second man taking with him a loaded shotgun for intimidation.

Aubertin’s common-law wife opened the door at the couple’s house at 1056 Princess St., recognized Goodpipe and allowed the men in, the jury heard. Miller said Goodpipe asked to borrow her phone.

Instead, Miller alleged, Aubertin was confronted by the second man, who produced the shotgun and demanded, “What you got?”

Miller said Aubertin raised his hands but the shotgun went off, the blast hitting him in the chest.

Aubertin died soon after of his injuries.

Miller told jurors that while Goodpipe wasn’t the one who carried or discharged the shotgun, the Crown will argue he is guilty of playing a role in the death through his involvement in the plan and resulting attempt to rob Aubertin.

“This is contingent on the Crown proving that a reasonable person in the shoes of Mr. Goodpipe would have known or ought to have known that in committing a robbery, it would likely put another person at risk of something more than brief or trivial harm,” Miller said.

Miller called five police witnesses Monday, including an officer who was among the first on the scene.

Const. Sean Peberdy said he arrived at the Princess Street house just after 11 a.m., having received a call about a weapons offence in which someone had been reported shot.

The officer said he saw a woman outside who “seemed very upset” and appeared to be on the phone. The woman went back into the house and, once additional officers attended, police followed. Peberdy described seeing a body lying on the floor.

While other officers checked on the man, Peberdy searched the house for anyone else who might be inside and found a frightened teen male. The teen said it was his father who had been injured.

Court heard from other officers who spoke to the arrest of a second suspect, Jerid Cole Azure, in the backyard of an Argyle Street house following a canine unit track, as well as the location of evidence such as footprints in an alley near the Princess Street location, and muddy shoes and an unspent shotgun shell inside the Argyle Street house.