Defence suggests Levi Cayen was 'pressured' into plan that killed Hay River drug dealer

Sasha Cayen was "anxious" for her cousin, Levi Cayen, to join her and two other cousins the night Alexander Norwegian was killed, according to the defence lawyer representing Levi Cayen in the case. 

Sasha Cayen and Tyler Cayen were developing a craving for more crack, suggested lawyer Alan Regel, and they — along with James Thomas — wanted Levi Cayen to join them because there was a plan in the works to rob Norwegian of whatever money and drugs they could find.  

"I don't know if there was a plan about that yet," said Sasha Cayen, as she finished her testimony during the first-degree murder trial in Yellowknife Monday. Norwegian's body was found inside a battered Mazda Protege on a remote road near Hay River, N.W.T. more than a day after the attack in late December 2017.

"I think we just wanted to get drunk," said Sasha Cayen, who, in 2019 pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the same case. She was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison, and has since been released from custody.

Regel said Tyler Cayen didn't want to be part of the robbery because he was scared of being recognized, and the group decided Sasha Cayen shouldn't go because she "wouldn't be much good." 

"The group of you decided you were going to convince Levi … to be involved in the plan," said Regel. He asked her if the accused first said "that's crazy" and then probed "did you keep pressuring [Levi Cayen] to buy into the plan as he got drunker and drunker?"

Sasha Cayen's response to that question, as it was to many of Regel's queries throughout the day, was that she didn't remember. She also didn't provide consistent responses when asked about the time of the events that led up to Norwegian's death. 

On a multi-day drug and alcohol binge 

Sasha Cayen previously told the court she was a daily user of crack cocaine, and had been on a multi-day drug and alcohol binge at the time of the attack. She testified that Thomas drove her to buy drugs from Norwegian on a secluded road known as the Portage on Dec. 26, 2017, as it was starting to get dark. 

Later, Norwegian texted her for help getting his car out of a snowbank. Sasha Cayen said she, Tyler Cayen and Thomas towed him out in exchange for $10 and "a piece" of crack cocaine. They returned to Thomas's house and a few hours later, Levi Cayen arrived with a large bottle of vodka. 

She said Norwegian texted her later that night asking if she had any alcohol. It was at that point, she testified earlier, that Thomas said they should rob him. 

When asked Monday about texts she'd sent Norwegian leading up to the fatal attack, Sasha Cayen's voice grew louder and became frustrated. 

"He was the one who picked the place, not me," she said, of the place they were agreeing to meet again. "I didn't tell him to go there." 

The hearing continued mid-Monday afternoon with Cpl. Amy Doan, an RCMP forensic expert who photographed and filmed the crime scene.