Plot to steal cocaine led to murder, court hears
Brazen daytime execution was meticulously planned, Crown attorney says
A plot to steal a 200-kilogram shipment of cocaine and split the millions in profit, while also getting rid of a “rat,” ended with a brazen afternoon hit at a Little Italy cafe, a jury heard Wednesday.
John Raposo, 35, was shot four times in the head at close range as he watched a Euro Cup soccer game at the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe on June18, 2012, Crown prosecutor Maurice Gillezeau said in his opening address.
The evidence will show Dean Wiwchar, 31, was the hit man, posing as a construction worker wearing a reflective vest, shoulder-length wig, sunglasses and dust mask, he said.
But it was Nicola Nero, 40, Martino Caputo, 43, and Rabih Alkhalil, 29, who spent the weeks between April 25 and June18, 2012, plotting to murder Raposo, steal his cocaine and split the profit three ways, Gillezeau said.
Alkhalil brought in Wiwchar, describing him in one message as being his “best hitter,” Gillezeau said.
All four men are charged with firstdegree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. They have pleaded not guilty.
In his overview of the evidence in the case, obtained mostly through months of police surveillance, wiretapped phone calls, texts and email messages, Gillezeau described how the alleged hit was planned meticulously.
Nero, Caputo and Alkhalil were involved with importing cocaine into Canada from Mexico through Chicago and Buffalo, Gillezeau said.
Raposo was also involved in cocaine trafficking and Nero agreed to transport his cocaine shipment across the border, the prosecutor added.
Meanwhile, in messages to Caputo and Alkhalil, Nero described Raposo as “a rat who should be killed because he’d done harm to Nero and Caputo,” Gillezeau said.
Alkhalil said he would obtain the gun requested by Wiwchar, either a 40- or 45-calibre, Gillezeau said. A 45-calibre was used to kill Raposo.
Caputo got the addresses for the home of Raposo’s parents and of the Sicilian Sidewalk Cafe where Raposo was a regular, Gillezeau said. Alkhalil passed those addresses on to Wiwchar.
Caputo also gave Wiwchar an address for Raposo’s home, but it was incorrect. Raposo actually lived one house over, Gillezeau said.
Wiwchar — who is originally from Stouffville but was living in Vancouver — was hired for $100,000.
He came to Toronto at the end of May and scoped out the addresses he was given, Gillezeau said.
But Alkhalil and Wiwchar were aware Wiwchar was being tailed by police at the time, so plans were made for him to come back later.
On June 12, Wiwchar returned to Toronto after taking a Greyhound bus from Vancouver to Calgary, then flying from Calgary to Montreal, all under an assumed name. This time, he was not under police surveillance, Gillezeau said.
The shooting took place on June 18, 2012. Wiwchar was arrested on June 21, 2012.
After his arrest, Alkhalil and a person known as “Birdman” exchanged messages, Gillezeau said.
“Zelda first-degree murder,” Alkhalil wrote, adding that he was concerned he could be in jeopardy, Gillezeau said.
“Birdman” responded: “If he rats, yup.”
In one message, Gillezeau said, Wiwchar stated that his business is contract killing.
A search of Wiwchar’s luggage after his arrest found a strand of hair found to be from a wig, Gillezeau said.
His real driver’s licence was found in the insole of his running shoe.
The police also found money — $5,100 in his pocket, $40,000 in his luggage and $20,000 at his parent’s home in Stouffville.
At Wiwchar’s Vancouver home and a condo he used in Surrey, Gillezeau said police found a reflective construction vest, a map of Toronto, body armour, two skin-coloured facemasks, liquid latex skin, theatrical makeup, fake moustaches, fake beards, three wigs and modelling wax. Also found were Wiwchar’s alleged guns of choice: two 40-calibre semi-automatic pistols, two 45-calibre pistols and cartridges for the guns, Gillezeau said.
Dressed in similar V-neck sweaters in muted colours of grey, black and brown, the accused listened attentively to the Crown’s opening statement.
Wiwchar, in particular, became visibly bored and restless as the first witnesses launched into highly technical explanations of message en- cryption.
Much of the Crown’s case is rooted in messages obtained through wiretaps and seized phones. Niagara Regional Police began wiretapping Nero on March 30, 2012. They also placed probes in his home and car to capture his conversations and conducted a covert search of his home in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
During that search, police found a sticky note with an email address and password. They were able to use the password to access Nero’s BlackBerry Curve smartphone and download email messages that are part of the evidence, Gillezeau said.
Caputo was also wiretapped by police.
The men used nicknames or handles in their communications, Gillezeau said. Nero was referred to as “Cervezafrya” or “Cerveza.” Caputo was “Gem,” “Juice” and “LWQQ.” Alkhalil was “TNT” or “Run&Hide.” Wiwchar had the most nicknames, going by “Zelda,” “WrathofTitans,” “ManVFood” and “Trick-Daddy.”
The trial continues. With files from Hina Alam