A Calgary police officer accused of two counts of murder has been ordered to stand trial after an eight-day preliminary inquiry. Const. Craig Stothard’s hearing concluded with Justice Mark Mastel determining that there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial. Stothard, aged 52, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Wesley Davidson and Levon Boyce Fox, who were fatally shot in May 2023.
Authorities claim that the victims were inside a stolen cube van and that Stothard fired at them following a 45-minute low-speed pursuit along Memorial Drive. Another individual in the vehicle, Fox’s brother, was also shot but survived. A ban on publishing details of the evidence and discussions was put in place at the start of the inquiry to safeguard Stothard’s right to a fair trial.
Last summer, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team pressed charges against Stothard after a two-year probe. Stothard was released on bail awaiting trial and is currently on paid leave from the Calgary Police Service. The case will transition from Alberta’s Court of Justice to the Court of King’s Bench. Prosecutor Jeff Rudiak and defense attorney Don MacLeod will schedule trial dates in the upcoming weeks.