MANDEL: 'Partners in crime' killed OPP rookie, Crown says in closing address

Article content

They were partners in love — and crime.

That’s what prosecutors urged the jury to find in order to convict both Randall McKenzie and girlfriend Brandi Stewart-Sperry of first-degree murder in the execution of OPP Const. Greg Pierczala in a hail of bullets fired from a trafficked Glock 19.

In his closing address, Crown Fraser McCracken insisted the evidence was “overwhelming” that McKenzie was the shooter and Stewart-Sperry was his willing accomplice, when the young officer was gunned down after stopping to investigate an SUV stuck in a ditch near Hagersville.

Both have pleaded not guilty at the Cayuga trial that began almost a month ago.

Pierzchala, 28, had passed his probationary period on the morning of Dec. 27, 2022 when he responded to the routine call. The officer had just explained that he’d switched on his body-worn camera and it was recording when he was suddenly struck by six bullets that sent him screaming to the ground in horrifying footage played often for the jury.

McCracken said the pair knew they were in trouble: The vehicle in the ditch was the Nissan Armada they’d stolen the previous day, it contained other stolen property and McKenzie was wanted by police.

“They knew if he was arrested, he was going back to jail,” he said.

Recommended video

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Play Video

So first, they tried to get away but couldn’t get into the locked Chevy Silverado belonging to a woman who had pulled up to help them, the Crown said.

“They’re left with two options: Surrender and submit to arrest, or eliminate the threat presented to them by Pierzchala.“

McCracken argued that Stewart-Sperry can be seen on the body cam footage turning toward McKenzie and raising the blanket that she had around her shoulders to cover her mouth. There’s no evidence of what she told him, but he argued it was clear she stepped momentarily in front of McKenzie to allow him time to get his gun into his hoodie’s kangaroo pocket.

“What she does is exactly what Randall Mackenzie needed her to do in that moment to be able to ambush Greg Pierzchala,” McCracken said.

And after he fired six shots, he continued, Stewart-Sperry doesn’t try to help the fallen officer, but followed her boyfriend into the Silverado after he’s demanded the keys from the driver. “She flees without hesitation because that was the plan,” he told the jury. “She knew what was going to happen; she intended what happened.

“Randall McKenzie couldn’t have done what he did without her. They were a team.”

They were lovers, he said, as evidenced by the sex tapes saved on McKenzie’s phone and she would have known he was armed. Also located on his phone were numerous searches for the Canadian penalties for murder and manslaughter and text messages where he vowed a “shoot out with cops” just the week earlier.

“This was a crime that was planned in advance,” McCracken said. “If there was no other option, he would shoot a cop to avoid capture. Never give up.”

McKenzie’s DNA was found on the gun, his clothing had gunshot residue and a comparison of the body-worn camera footage of the murderer is remarkably similar to photos of the accused killer, he insisted. “The only explanation is that Randall McKenzie is the shooter and he’s guilty of first-degree murder.”

But McKenzie’s lawyer Douglas Holt argued there was too much reasonable doubt to convict his client.

He maintained the man captured on Pierzchala’s camera is not McKenzie, since his many tattoos cannot be seen, and witnesses described a killer with yellowed teeth — which he doesn’t have — and failed to mention the obvious tattoo of a cross on his forehead.

McKenzie’s wasn’t the only DNA found on the gun, Holt continued, and contrary to his text messages, he was arrested without incident.

“There was no better opportunity for Randall to get into a shootout with police than right before his arrest,” the defence lawyer said. “He has a gun, it’s loaded and he’s walking towards some armed police officers. Here’s his chance.

“What does he do? He empties the gun, he throws it away and immediately puts his hands up and walks out.”

Closing submissions from Stewart-Sperry’s lawyer are expected Wednesday and the jury has been told they’ll begin deliberations Thursday.

mmandel@postmedia.com