Alberta’s highest court has reversed a first-degree murder conviction for a man sentenced in connection with a fatal shooting south of Edmonton in 2020. Kardon Demetroff, arrested in May 2020 for the killing of 74-year-old landlord Larry Parker, had his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal of Alberta. The body of the victim was discovered on a rural road just outside Maskwacis, Alberta, in April 2020.
Following a trial in 2022, Demetroff was found guilty of first-degree murder, while a woman accused alongside him was convicted of manslaughter. However, the appellate court ordered a new trial for Demetroff due to errors made by the trial judge in jury instructions.
The Court of Appeal highlighted issues with how the jury was instructed to evaluate Demetroff’s statements to the police, particularly regarding his denial of being the shooter. The judges emphasized that the jurors were not clearly informed that disbelief in the appellant’s statements could still leave room for reasonable doubt in his guilt.
Demetroff is set to appear in court in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, on November 25 to initiate the process of scheduling a new trial. The court’s decision also noted deficiencies in the jury’s understanding of Demetroff’s actions following the offense, as well as a lack of analysis on admitting evidence related to past discreditable conduct, which impacted the jury’s ability to fulfill its role effectively.