A high-profile criminal trial connected to the death of a Rocky View County employee has taken a significant turn after a Court of King's Bench judge dismissed attempted murder charges against two accused men while allowing several other serious charges to remain before the jury.
Arthur Penner and Elijah Strawberry are currently on trial in connection with the August 2024 shooting death of Rocky View County employee Colin Hough. Both men continue to face second-degree murder charges related to Hough's death, along with other remaining counts before the court.
The case stems from an incident that occurred on Aug. 6, 2024, near Township Road 250 and Range Road 281, east of Calgary in Rocky View County.
According to RCMP investigators, Hough and FortisAlberta employee Matthew Andres were working along the roadside when they were allegedly confronted during what police described as an attempted robbery.
Emergency responders arriving at the scene found both men suffering from gunshot wounds. Hough later died from his injuries, while Andres was transported to hospital for treatment and subsequently released.
The shooting sent shockwaves through communities across Rocky View County, Chestermere, Airdrie, and surrounding municipalities. Both victims were performing routine work duties at the time of the incident, raising concerns about the safety of workers operating in isolated rural locations.
Police alleged the suspects arrived at the scene in a stolen vehicle. Investigators later stated that the vehicle was burned after the shooting and that one of the victims' Rocky View County pickup trucks was allegedly stolen during the suspects' escape.
The accused were arrested in the weeks following the incident, leading to a lengthy court process that has attracted considerable public attention throughout the region.
On May 27, Court of King's Bench Justice Shane Parker instructed jurors that attempted murder charges relating to Andres would no longer be considered during their deliberations. Parker did not provide jurors with reasons for the decision and specifically instructed them not to speculate about why the charge was dismissed.
"Your duty going forward is to determine if the prosecution has satisfied you beyond a reasonable doubt if either Mr. Penner or Mr. Strawberry are guilty or not guilty of those remaining counts," Parker told the jury.
With both defence teams declining to call witnesses, the evidentiary phase of the trial has now concluded.
Closing arguments have been scheduled before the judge provides final instructions to the jury. Those instructions will guide jurors as they begin deliberating on the remaining charges.
As the trial continues, both accused remain presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.