In a recurring case, a man from Calgary is facing trial for his involvement in a murder-for-hire scheme that resulted in the death of a 29-year-old individual discovered deceased in a northwest alley. Olara Ronnie Obina was fatally shot on November 3, 2017, with his body found behind his family’s residence in the Ranchlands area the following day.
Three years following Obina’s murder, Jessey Pearson and Jayme Denovan were charged with first-degree murder after admitting to the crime during an extensive undercover investigation. While the evidence gathered from the operation was permissible against Denovan, it was not admissible against Pearson.
In 2022, Denovan, identified as the shooter, was convicted of first-degree murder and is currently serving a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years before parole eligibility. Pearson was initially acquitted, but a subsequent ruling by the court of appeal overturned the decision, leading to a new trial for first-degree murder, which commenced in Calgary recently.
During the ongoing trial, the prosecution is tasked with persuading the judge to accept Pearson’s confession from the undercover operation as evidence once more. The undercover operation, known as a “Mr. Big sting,” initially targeted Denovan. This tactic involves officers posing as criminals to extract confessions from suspects, with the ruse escalating to create a situation where the suspect feels compelled to disclose their involvement in the crime to the fictitious criminal organization led by “Mr. Big.”
In a pivotal moment at a Regina hotel in October 2020, Denovan confessed to the murder, revealing that he was paid $4,000 out of the promised $14,000 to carry out the killing, with no explanation given for the motive. Denovan also implicated Pearson in the crime, leading to Pearson’s subsequent admission of assisting in the murder, which included aiding in the vehicle theft, transportation to the crime scene, and arson of the stolen vehicle.
The trial, featuring testimony and video evidence from the undercover operation, is expected to span three weeks, with proceedings continuing as the case unfolds.