The Coutts murder conspiracy trial continued on Wednesday, with the court hearing about a covert late-night shipment that included underwear and a guitar.
According to the testimony of a former employee of the accused, the shipment was made in the early hours of July 3, 2017, from a storage unit in Calgary to a location near the U.S.-Canada border.
The witness, who cannot be named due to a publication ban, stated that he was instructed by the accused, Robert Hoefman, to make the shipment. Hoefman, along with his wife, Crystal Hoefman, and their friend, Kenneth Nickerson, are facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder and first-degree murder in the death of Nickerson’s wife, Amber Lucius.
The witness testified that he was told to pack a guitar and a bag of underwear into a duffel bag and deliver it to a specific location. He stated that he was not aware of the contents of the bag and was only following orders.
The Crown prosecutor presented surveillance footage from the storage unit, showing the witness loading the duffel bag into his vehicle and driving away. The footage also showed the accused, Crystal Hoefman, arriving at the storage unit shortly after the witness left.
The witness also testified that he was instructed to make the shipment in the middle of the night to avoid detection. He stated that he was told to leave the duffel bag at a specific location and return to the storage unit without it.
The Crown prosecutor argued that the covert shipment was part of the accused’s plan to dispose of evidence related to the murder of Amber Lucius. The defence, however, argued that the shipment was unrelated to the murder and was simply a personal matter between the accused.
The trial is set to continue on Thursday, with more witnesses expected to testify. The accused have all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
