Barrie man accused of murder in Keswick park double shooting headed for trial

A 22-year-old Barrie, Ont., man accused of murder in a double shooting that took place at a park in Keswick in the fall of 2024 appears headed for trial.

Ethan Pashka-McNeil has been committed to trial in the Superior Court of Justice, accused of two counts of murder in a September 2024 double shooting that claimed the lives of two men.

The Barrie man, who remains behind bars Monday, is charged with killing Mark Sutcliffe, 39, of Stouffville, and Reilly MacDonald, 21, of Newmarket, at about 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 18, 2024.

Residents said they heard gunshots and called police. When police arrived, investigators confirmed the deaths of Sutcliffe and MacDonald in the park.

Hours later, York Regional Police confirmed Pashka-McNeil and Jonn McKay, also of Barrie, were arrested at a plaza in Letitia Heights by York and Barrie police.

For days, police officers, with metal detectors in hand, along with the K-9 unit, searched the neighbourhood, including wooded areas and properties. Investigators did not reveal what the search was for and whether anything was recovered. Neighbours said police also searched a home along Barrett Crescent near Browning Trail following the arrests.

McKay has been out on bail since last March, when loved ones pledged half a million dollars to secure his release from jail after six months in custody.

McKay is due back in court next month, as a judge decides whether he will join Pashka-McNeil in the Superior Court, charged with murder.

Investigators have not said how the men knew one another but confirmed the deadly shooting was targeted.

Evidence heard in court is protected by a publication ban.

Pashka-McNeil is scheduled to make his first appearance in Superior Court in late February. The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.