Crown stays charges against accused Calgary double-murderer awaiting retrial
Prosecutors have stayed murder charges against a second Calgary man accused in a historic double homicide, days after conceding his appeal.
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Leonard Brian Cochrane was arrested in 2020 and later convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the July 11, 1994, fatal shootings of Barry Buchart and Trevor Deakins in their Radisson Heights home.
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Another Calgary man, Stuart Douglas MacGregor, was charged in the same killings but prosecutors last week stayed the two first-degree murder charges against him.
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In a statement Friday, the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service confirmed the charges against Cochrane — who was scheduled for a retrial on appeal — have also been stayed.
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'In the matter of R v MacGregor, during the prosecution, the Crown prosecutor encountered a significant issue with the evidence. These evidentiary issues were ultimately determined to be insurmountable, and the charges were stayed on June 6, 2025,' it reads.
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'Crown prosecutors have also conducted a thorough examination of the available admissible evidence in the prosecution of Mr. Cochrane, exploring all possible paths forward. However, the same issues encountered in Mr. MacGregor's file impact the file of Mr. Cochrane and the matter was stayed on June 13, 2025.'
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Cochrane was linked to the scene using investigative genetic genealogy, which compares individuals in known DNA databases and material found at the scene to narrow the list of suspects to relatives with similar genetic markers.
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When MacGregor was charged, police said they used the same technology to lead them to a second suspect.
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Defence lawyer Balfour Der said Friday that he and co-counsel James McLeod were pleased with the decision, believing their client was not guilty.
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'This case involves a novel and important privacy rights considerations for all Canadians. We will not get to settle that issue but I am sure it will come up in another case,' Der said in a statement.
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MacGregor spent more than 18 months in custody before his release.
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Calgary police issued a statement last week after charges against MacGregor were dropped.
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'Historical homicide investigations are inherently complex. The passage of time in these cases can present significant challenges, including changes in evidence standards, investigative techniques and legal framework,' police said.
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Edmonton Journal
25 minutes ago
- Edmonton Journal
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an hour ago
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