Teen pleads guilty to 2nd-degree murder, manslaughter in 2022 Point Douglas killings

WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.

A teenage boy has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and two counts of second-degree murder in the violent beating deaths of three people in the Point Douglas neighbourhood.

Danielle Dawn Ballantyne, 36, was found dead in an apartment building on Jarvis Avenue near Main Street around 7 a.m. on Aug. 22, 2022. 

Troy Baguley, 51, and Marvin William Felix, 54, were also found injured earlier that same morning — within a couple blocks from where Ballantyne was found — and both later died from their injuries, according to an agreed statement of facts presented to Manitoba Court of King's Bench during a hearing for the youth on Tuesday before Justice Shawn Greenberg.

Court heard the youth, who was 15 years old at the time, went missing from a Wolseley-area group home on the evening of Aug. 21, along with another then 15-year-old who is also accused in the deaths. 

The boys returned to the group around 8:25 a.m. the next day.

The other teen has an upcoming court appearance scheduled.

The agreed statement of facts said the youth and his co-accused punched, kicked and jumped on Baguley around 4:19 a.m. before dragging his body to a parking lot on Main Street, between Jarvis and Sutherland avenues.

The teens were approached by a 13-year-old boy and Tristan Colten Moose, then 20, who joined in beating Baguley, who lay on the ground "motionless," said Crown attorney Lisa Carson. 

The online registry system for Manitoba's Court of King's Bench shows Moose, who was initially charged with second-degree murder, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in December.

The beating lasted approximately seven minutes and was caught on video surveillance from across the parking lot, leaving Baguley with traumatic brain injury and a total loss of cognitive capacity, court heard.

"His condition was not expected to improve for the rest of his life," Carson said. 

Baguley was removed from life support on March 3, 2023. An autopsy report found his cause of death was related to blunt force trauma. 

'Completely unprovoked' attack on man in wheelchair 

Shortly after beating the man, the 15-year-olds walked toward Felix, who was sleeping in a wheelchair on Main Street near the Bell Hotel, court heard.

"Felix was attacked completely unprovoked," Carson said. The teens punched and dragged him to the ground and then stomped on his head several times, court was told.

Felix was taken to hospital in unstable condition and died on Aug. 26, 2022, from blunt force injury to his head, which fractured his skull, left cheek and jaw.

His family said he used a wheelchair after having his leg amputated. Originally from the northern community of Berens River, he lived in the city for medical reasons, they said.

Police were alerted of Ballantyne's death around 7 a.m., while they were at the scene involving Baguley about half a block away, court heard.

The mother of four, who was originally from Misipawistik First Nation, was found lying on the second floor in the apartment building with serious head injuries.

Broken glass, a backpack and a purse were scattered next to her body near a pool of blood, court heard. There were footwear impressions on the victim's back that were similar to the ones seen where Baguley was found. 

The teen who pleaded guilty Tuesday was arrested on Aug. 23, 2022, when he was found at a Wall Street business wearing a hat that had blood on it and a T-shirt, consistent with what was seen on video surveillance.

Police seized a pair of shoes at the group home, belonging to the teen, which also had blood on them that was a match for Baguley and DNA from Ballantyne. 

Crown attorneys Carson and Jodi Koffman are recommending that the teen be sentenced as an adult, which would mean an automatic life sentence.

Defence lawyers Laura Robinson and Morgan Lawrence argued he should be sentenced as a youth. The maximum youth sentence for second-degree murder is seven years — up to four years in custody, with up to another three years of probation.

"We're going to be asking the court to sentence you as a youth, but you understand that it's going to be up to the judge," Robinson told the youth in court as he sat silently in the prisoner's box.

Justice Greenberg reserved her decision on his sentencing.