A jury in Perth, Ont., has found two men guilty of first-degree murder for killing Hells Angels recruit Greg Slewidge in nearby Beckwith Township more than four years ago.
Crown prosecutors alleged Michael Clairoux and Lee Marazzo planned and carried out the killing of the 39-year-old at a legal marijuana grow-op on Sept. 24, 2020.
They were each charged with first-degree murder in January 2022 and both pleaded not guilty.
The jury started deliberating mid-afternoon Wednesday and came back with the verdicts Thursday afternoon.
The penalty for first-degree murder is life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Debates over video
The court case centred on high-definition surveillance footage and conflicting narratives over who is seen in those videos.
The Crown said during closing arguments this week the two men surprised Slewidge, who was set to become a full-patch Hells Angels member the next week. They allegedly used a rope to strangle him and left his body with a knife in the back.
Prosecutors say the men were hired by a member of the Red Devils Motorcycle Club, a known affiliate of the Hells Angels, following a dispute over car repairs.
Those lawyers claimed the clothing, actions and other details match Clairoux and Marazzo.
Lawyers for both of the accused questioned the reliability of the surveillance footage and the identification of their clients, saying they may have been set up.
They emphasized during closing arguments that the masked people on the video cannot be linked to the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. They said it isn’t clear the men identified as their clients had the same stature, hairlines, body markings and other traits.
Slewidge’s family, including his father Lyndon — a former Ontario Provincial Police officer and well-known Ottawa Senators anthem singer — attended the final arguments.
Extra security was in place for the proceedings. The courtroom is guarded by police and everyone entering is searched.
The victim and accused had supporters in the room, leading to a tense atmosphere during portions of closing arguments.