Murder trial to take 6-8 months after man pleads not guilty to contract killing

The man accused of the contract killing of Nicholas Khabra in Surrey, B.C., has pleaded not guilty in a murder trial that prosecutors say will include witness testimonies from a second victim and a lifelong criminal who the Crown claims was in on the targeted shooting.

The trial began Tuesday in a secured courtroom in New Westminster.

A 14-person jury watched as Brandon Teixeira, 33, stood before them and pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder and discharging a firearm, before Crown prosecutors rose and made their opening statement, outlining the case they intend to put forward over the next six to eight months.

Teixeira is charged with killing Khabra in South Surrey on Oct. 23, 2017. Some details surrounding the case and the identities of two witnesses are protected by a publication ban.

The defence has not yet put forward its argument.

On Tuesday, prosecutor Dianne Wiedemann described the circumstances the Crown alleges led up to the killing. 

Contracted killing

She said Teixeira had escaped a targeted shooting just days prior to Khabra's death, and was suspicious Khabra was somehow involved in the attack. Prosecutors allege Teixeira informed his "associates" of his suspicions and later accepted a $160,000 contract to kill Khabra.

Teixiera then set up a meeting with Khabra at a cul-de-sac in the 14300 block of Crescent Road for the early hours of Oct. 23. Prosecutors say he brought along a second person — referred to as Person X — who was in on the targeted killing.

Khabra also arrived with a second person — identified by Crown as Person A.

Deadly meeting

Prosecutors say Khabra and Teixeira got out of their vehicles and began to speak amicably with one another. At one point, Khabra turned away from Teixeira to open the passenger side of his vehicle and lean inside. That's when Teixeira pulled a gun from his waistband and started shooting Khabra, prosecutors allege.

Wiedemann said Teixeira's associate, Person X, "was frozen and in shock and remained in the vehicle."

Person A, who was inside Khabra's vehicle, was struck by multiple bullets. They sped off immediately and called police, who were a short drive away from the cul-de-sac.

Meanwhile, at the crime scene, Wiedemann told the court, Person X watched as "Khabra was lying on his back" and "the accused was standing right in front of him and firing down."

Person X then saw Teixeira's gun jam, and it appeared that "the accused was pistol whipping Mr. Khabra as he lay in the grass," Wiedemann said.

Prosecutors allege Person X got out of the car and gave Teixeira a second gun, which also jammed. Khabra then tried to escape, running to the front of a nearby home, but Teixeira followed and stabbed him several times, prosecutors claim. 

The allegations have not been proven in court.

First witnesses testify

RCMP Cpl. Kenneth Ho testified on Tuesday and Wednesday. He was the first officer at the crime scene.

"I saw the victim rolling around," Ho recalled. "As I got closer, he said the word 'shot, shot, shot.' [His voice] was very hoarse. I knew the male was in trouble."

During cross-examination, Teixeira's defence team questioned him about visibility at the crime scene and reviewed footage, to which Ho acknowledged it was dark and difficult to make out certain colours on vehicles.