One of the drivers involved in the Rivière-des-Prairies shootings was unaware that his passenger was armed and that he was going to be an accomplice in a fatal shooting. “I saw two hands come out and shoot.”
That’s what emerged from Marlon Francisco Villa-Guzman’s testimony at the trial of three men accused of triple murder. The informer’s account took the jury behind the scenes of the shooting on Wednesday.
Clifford Domerçant-Barosy, Stevenson Choute and Jonas Castor are accused of shooting dead Jerry Willer Jean-Baptiste, Jefferson Syla and Molière Dantes, and wounding two other men by shooting at them from a car.
Marlon Francisco Villa-Guzman, one of the drivers involved in the triple homicide, was initially charged, then turned tail and cooperated with authorities. Last May, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges of involuntary manslaughter, receiving a 10-year sentence.
At the time of the tragedy, the witness was driving a Pontiac Grand Prix, while Clifford Domerçant-Barosy was a passenger, he explained to the jury. He was following a beige Mazda in which Jonas Castor and Stevenson Choute were, the witness said. A fourth man whose name he did not know was also in the car.
His passenger gave him directions, so the driver had no idea where the destination was, he said. “He wanted me to go quickly,” he recalled.
The vehicles arrived at 9301 Perras Boulevard after a short discussion between Clifford Domerçant-Barosy and the other suspects, according to the witness’s version of events.
Then the gunfire rang out. “I saw two hands come out of the Mazda with guns. It started shooting,” Marlon Francisco Villa-Guzman told the jury. The guns were Glock pistols, he said.
Total surprise: he knew nothing about the plan. He had no idea that Clifford Domerçant-Barosy was armed. He did not know that the worst was going to happen, according to what emerges from his story.
“I didn’t see it until he pulled it out,” Villa-Guzman said of the gun.
A call just before the shooting
According to the witness, Clifford Domerçant-Barosy called him a few hours before the shooting. The latter wanted to go to Rivière-des-Prairies.
“He told me there were people in a place.”
Marlon Francisco Villa-Guzman briefly spoke about a conflict between two groups.
Clifford Domerçant-Barosy allegedly invited him to get rid of the vehicle involved in the triple murder the day after the event, the witness continued. “He saw what had happened on the news, as I did.”
Mr. Villa-Guzman quickly looked for a place to take his car. He reportedly dropped it off at Kenny U-Pull with his accomplice and sold it for $500.
“It was the only way to get rid of the vehicle. I was afraid of what was going to happen to me,” he said.
Nervous, the 28-year-old informer stood a few meters from his alleged accomplices on Wednesday in the courtroom. From the defendants’ box, they were positioned so as not to meet the witness’s gaze. A screen hid the view of members of the public present in the courtroom throughout the testimony.
The trial, presided over by Judge Alexandre Boucher, continues this Thursday with the continuation of the questioning of the key witness.
Me Claude Berlinguette-Auger and Me Louis Bouthillier represents the public prosecutor.
Me Christian Gauthier and Me Melina Le Blanc defends Stevenson Choute, Me Marc Labelle defends Clifford Domerçant-Barosy and Me Andrée-Anne Blais, Me Reginald Victorin and Me Patrick Davis defends Jonas Castor.
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