Moncton murder trial jury hears from witness whose car was used in alleged crime

The jury in a Moncton murder trial heard Friday from a witness who testified about the hours leading up to the shooting death of Joedin Leger.

The 21-year-old was the 25th witness to testify in the second-degree murder trial of Riley Phillips. The 20-year-old is accused of killing Leger on April 25, 2022, in Moncton. 

The Crown alleges Leger was shot during a home invasion and robbery involving Phillips and five others that morning.

The witness Friday mainly testified about events in the hours before Phillips's alleged involvement. Justice Robert Dysart told jurors the testimony was being offered for context.

CBC is not naming the witness, or using several details about her, because it could identify another witness. That second witness, who finished testifying Thursday, cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act because he was 17 at the time. 

The witness who testified Friday said she was watching TV at her apartment when the 17-year-old approached her asking if she wanted to rob someone. She said she agreed because she was in college and didn't have a lot of money. 

"It wasn't a good decision, but I felt like it was a good idea to get some money," she said.

She said she went with the 17-year-old and another person to meet others involved in the plan at a bar.

The group then went to a place in Moncton called Lexi's Lounge. 

The group at that point included Hunter England, his brother Jerek England, Jerek's girlfriend, Nicholas McAvoy, and Hayden Leblanc. Several people, including the witness, used cocaine at the bar. 

Told she wouldn't be driving

She said all she knew about the robbery plan was that she'd be driving her 2012 Honda Civic. She testified she couldn't recall specifics about the conversations. 

Later, she said, they went back to the apartment of Jerek England's girlfriend, where she remembers being told she wouldn't be driving them after all.  

"They didn't think I'd be a good driver to get away from police if they started chasing us," she testified. 

She said sometime between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m., the male members of the group left their phones behind and left in her car. She waited with Jerek England's girlfriend. 

Closer to 7 a.m., as the sun came up, she testified, the 17-year-old messaged her through a friend's Instagram account, telling her to get his phone and go back home. 

When she got home, she said, her car was parked back in her apartment garage. 

When the 17-year-old, who is now 20, testified at trial he said the group went to get a gun, picked up Phillips and then went to Leger's home. 

He testified Phillips went inside and then he heard five or six shots. Phillips ran out and said he had been shot but shot the person four times, the witness said. 

A civilian witness testified earlier in the trial about seeing people on Logan Lane running back to a parked Honda Civic. Linus Dunn testified he followed the car, noted its licence plate and gave the information to police the morning Leger died. 

Only one witness testified Friday. Defence lawyer Brian Munro had no cross-examination questions for her. 

Dysart told jurors that two more Crown witnesses are expected to testify Monday. He said a legal issue will be discussed in their absence Tuesday.