CASE REVIEW: First-degree murder trial in the fatal shooting of OPP Const. Greg Pierzchala

Video still of Randall McKenzie (left) from a court exhibit and OPP Const. Greg Pierzchala (right) in an undated photo.

Ontario Provincial Police Constable Greg Pierzchala was fatally shot on Dec. 27, 2022, while responding to what seemed to be a routine call about a vehicle in a ditch on Indian Line near Hagersville, Ont.

Pierzchala was 28 years old and had learned that same morning he had successfully completed his probationary period with OPP’s Haldimand County detachment.

Randall McKenzie and Brandi Stewart-Sperry have both been charged with first-degree murder for Pierzchala’s shooting.

March 24, 2025

The trial for McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry began with jury selection.

Fourteen jurors were chosen, along with two alternates who were released once testimony began.

March 27, 2025

Prosecutor Fraser McCracken delivered his opening statement, providing the jury with a road map for the Crown’s case. He said the Crown would argue McKenzie shot Pierzchala, while Stewart-Sperry aided in the murder.

McCracken told the jury the shooting was captured on Pierzchala’s body-worn camera and was also witnessed by two women at the scene.

The video, he said, would show the shooter used a handgun hidden in a kangaroo-style pocket of a sweater.

The first witnesses called to the stand saw the vehicle in the ditch on Dec. 27, 2022, and stopped to try to help. They described arriving before police and encountering Stewart-Sperry, whom they testified appeared to be high on drugs.

The witnesses also said they saw a second person inside the vehicle in the ditch.

March 28, 2025

Veronica Tobicoe took the witness stand and described hearing a vehicle go into the ditch from her mother’s home, then grabbing blankets and driving over in her Chevrolet Silverado truck to help. Her daughter Tomasina Hill came with her.

Tobicoe and Hill described encountering Stewart-Sperry. Both said she appeared intoxicated.

Tobicoe told the court a man got out of the vehicle in the ditch and approached her truck. Both the man and Stewart-Sperry then began pulling at Silverado’s doors, trying to open them.

Pierzchala arrived on scene and warned the group his body camera was on.

Tobicoe said, within seconds, she heard gunshots and the constable cry out.

She testified she turned to see the shooter with his hand in his pocket, and saw him fire two shots.

“I look back at the officer and he’s falling on to the ground. He’s still hollering,” Tobicoe described in court.

Hill also witnessed the shooting. She described the front pocket of the sweater being blown out as the gun was fired.

The shooter then demanded Tobicoe’s keys, which she threw to him.

Court was shown footage of the shooting from Pierzchala’s body-worn camera. The Crown warned it would be graphic and difficult to watch.

Sobs could be heard in the courtroom after it was played.

An agreed statement of facts was also read into the record. It stated McKenzie knew he was wanted by police since July 2022 and, if arrested, he would be sent to jail and remain there until his court matter concluded.

In another agreed statement of facts, Stewart-Sperry admitted she was the person shown in Pierzchala’s body-worn camera footage, standing next to the shooter, and wrapped in a blanket Tobicoe gave her to stay warm.

March 31, 2025

Paul Reichenbach took the stand, telling the court he was in the area getting gas when he saw Pierzchala fall to the ground.

Reichenbach said he tried to stop the shooter from escaping by using his own truck to block the Silverado. When that failed, he chased the speeding truck, though he abandoned the effort in downtown Hagersville because he was afraid other people would get hurt.

Court was also shown videos gathered from multiple surveillance cameras and put together by OPP. They tracked the Silverado’s journey from the scene of the shooting to two adjoining properties on Mississauga Line in Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

The Crown previously told the jury McKenzie’s mother and several other of his relatives lived there.

April 2, 2025

The jury watched a lengthy video showing where the stolen Silverado truck ended up – two adjoining properties on Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Four CCTV cameras captured the truck arriving and two people getting out of it. One is admitted to be Brandi Stewart-Sperry; the other is believed to be the driver of the vehicle.

The driver is seen changing his pants at two different points.

The presumed driver and Stewart-Sperry both spend time behind the Silverado, by the rear passenger tire, which the jury previously heard became flat during the drive.

The driver and Stewart-Sperry then head towards a wooded area beyond the camera’s view.

Not long after, officers and a canine unit arrive on the property.

The jury was told OnStar technology helped police locate the Silverado on Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

Court also heard from a witness who saw the vehicle speeding through downtown Hagersville and found two pieces of the running board that fell off of it.

The final witnesses of the day were three OPP officers from Constable Pierzchala’s platoon, who rushed to the scene after hearing he was shot.

The trio tried to help with life-saving measures as Pierzchala lay on the road.

Two of the officers testified Pierzchala’s firearm was still locked in his holster, and all other use of force tools remained in place.

April 3, 2025

The jury heard about the search for two people in a wooded area on the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, aided by an OPP helicopter with a thermal imaging camera.

A lengthy video of McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry’s arrest was played in court.

It showed what police identified as the heat signature of two people in a wooded area.

They were together at the start but eventually separated and headed in different directions.

Stewart-Sperry was arrested first, around 6:26 p.m., by a Six Nations of the Grand River police officer. A backpack was seized, and the officer found keys and a key fob in her pocket.

Police then converged in an area near where McKenzie was believed to be. As police closed in, a gun shot could be heard in the area. The thermal imaging camera also captured a man coming out of the woods and throwing something out of his hand.

McKenzie was arrested around 6:45 p.m.

April 4, 2025

The jury was shown video of McKenzie’s arrest, taken by one of the officers at the scene.

He is seen crying and complaining of back pain.

McKenzie is read his rights and charged with first-degree murder. He declines to call a lawyer immediately.

McKenzie was then taken to hospital, where several items of his clothing were seized by police.

Court also heard from various officers who found, and eventually retrieved, what they believed McKenzie threw away before he emerged from the woods – a Glock 19 handgun.

Jurors looked at a series of images featuring pictures of clothing, much of it removed from McKenzie after his arrest, comparing it to the clothing worn in the video of McKenzie’s arrest, security camera footage of the driver in the getaway truck, and the video of the shooter from Pierzchala’s body-worn camera.

The comparisons also included the backpack taken from Stewart-Sperry during her arrest.

April 7, 2025

Relatives of McKenzie, who lived on the Mississauga Road properties where the getaway truck ended up, testified in court.

Richard McKenzie said Randall McKenzie is his adopted brother.

On the day of the shooting, Richard explained that he encountered Randall McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry at his trailer. He said Randall was pacing back and forth, complaining he had hurt his back.

Richard told the court Stewart-Sperry replied, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I love you,” and said it was all her fault.

Richard testified he also saw the pair kiss.

Randall McKenzie then asked for help changing a truck tire. Richard said Randall could use his tools, but Richard didn’t want to be a part of what he was doing.

Richard then got a text that police were coming, and he told his brother to leave.

“He took off and I told him that I loved him… and that was it,” Richard told the court.

Richard’s wife, Katelyn Garlow, also described encountering the pair that day. She testified Randall was frantic and pale and said he didn’t want to go back to jail. She also testified Randall McKenzie appeared to be in pain from a back injury.

During cross-examination, Randall’s lawyer questioned why these details were not mentioned in her earlier statements to police.

Garlow also said she later encountered Stewart-Sperry in the trailer, alone and crying.

Catherine Savage, whose step-aunt was Randall’s adoptive mother, described an encounter she had with Randall the day of the shooting where he asked her for a car jack.

She asked him if the vehicle was stolen, and he assured her it was not.

Savage then took some cell phone video, which was played for the jury, showing the truck at the property and a tire she believed Randall had removed from it.

April 9, 2025

Court was shown evidence found on a blue Motorola cell phone, agreed to be Randall McKenzie’s, including a picture of a hand holding a gun and a video of McKenzie driving with a gun in his hand, both taken on Dec. 14, 2022.

That same day, McKenzie sent text messages including one that read: “I’m going to do some ATM and I’m shooting out with the cops.”

Another message, sent Dec. 20, read: “I can’t have love when all I can do is talk about shooting out with cops.”

Court also heard the Nissan Armada, the vehicle in the ditch that Pierzchala was responding to, had been stolen from Hamilton the day before the shooting.

Numerous pieces of stolen property were also found by police, including items in a backpack seized from Stewart-Sperry during her arrest.

The Glock 19 handgun, conceded to be the weapon that killed Pierzchala, was shown to the jury, along with clothing taken from McKenzie after his arrest.

April 10, 2025

Renata Dziak, from the Centre of Forensic Sciences, tested numerous items collected by police.

She said the DNA from four people was found on the slide and grip of the Glock 19.

Randall McKenzie could not be excluded as the source of one of those DNA profiles.

Stewart-Sperry’s DNA was not identified on the Glock 19.

Dziak also swabbed the gun’s magazine and later identified two sources of DNA.

Court heard that McKenzie could not be excluded as a major contributor of that DNA. Dziak said it was a trillion times more likely to be his than any other unknown person.

Ron Schistad, a digital video analyst from Ontario Provincial Police, also took the stand. He showed the jury a series of side-by-side photos comparing images of the shooter from Pierzchala’s body camera to three different images of McKenzie.

April 11, 2025

Benjamin Lee, from the Centre of Forensic Sciences, testified about the gunshot residue found inside the stolen Silverado and on the clothing worn by McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry.

Neither had gunshot residue on samples taken from their face or hands.

Lee said he could not rule out the possibility that the gunshot residue was transferred to the vehicle and clothing from another source.

Next to take the stand was Jennifer Plath, a certified firearms expert from the Centre for Forensic Sciences, who tested bullets, bullet cartridges and projectile fragments.

Plath concluded that, within the limits of practical certainty, a fired cartridge case from the shooting scene, and another found in the area where Randall McKenzie was arrested, were both fired by the same Glock 19 seized by police.

The jury also heard the gun was legally sold in June 2022 by a dealer in the U.S. and, at some point, illegally trafficked into Canada.

The last witness for the day was firearms expert Sgt. Peter Reintjes, who compared the Glock 19 to the gun seen in the video on McKenzie’s phone. He provided no conclusions.

Reintjes also noted the Glock 19 had an aftermarket covert carry clip added to it, designed so the gun could be hidden inside a waistband.

The trial is set to continue Tuesday.

April 15, 2025

The Crown closed its case after two more witnesses took the stand.

The jury heard toxicology results from a blood test done on Stewart-Sperry following her arrest. An agreed statement of facts said police found 0.1 grams of methamphetamine inside a baggie in Stewart-Sperry’s pocket, along with tin foil and straws used to consume drugs.

Stewart-Sperry also told first responders that she had taken fentanyl prior to her arrest, and she had a drug addiction.

Her blood test came back positive for fentanyl, bromazolam, methamphetamine, amphetamine and desalkylgidazepam.

Forensic toxicologist Nadia Pace was asked about the possible side effects the drugs can have, including drowsiness, a reduction in alertness and confusion.

Kyle Aspinwall, a police officer and representative for weapon’s manufacturer Glock, testified about the gun seized in the case.

He noted it had an aftermarket covert carry clip that allowed the pistol to be carried inside a waistband without a holster.

“I must say that that is not a safe way to carry the firearm, and we do not recommend anyone do that,” Aspinall told the jury.

The Glock 19 also had a grip plug added. Aspinall told court that can aid in rapid reloading of the pistol.

After his testimony, the Crown announced their evidence was complete.

McKenzie’s lawyer, Douglas Holt, told court they will not be calling any evidence, meaning McKenzie will not take the stand in his own defense.

The following day, Stewart-Sperry’s lawyer also said they would not be calling evidence.

April 22, 2025

After almost a month of testimony, the Crown and McKenzie’s lawyer delivered their closing submissions.

Crown Prosecutor Fraser McCracken asked jurors to find McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry guilty as charged.

“The evidence that Randal McKenzie is the shooter is overwhelming,” he said.

McCracken reviewed the side-by-side images comparing what the body camera captured to images of McKenzie, as well as forensic evidence showing his DNA on the gun used to kill Pierzchala. He also was arrested in a hoodie with gunshot residue and a hole in the front pocket.

McCracken read again texts McKenzie sent about shooting out with cops. He reminded jurors McKenzie knew he was wanted by police and if he was caught he would be sent to jail until his matter had been dealt with in court.

McCracken alleged Stewart-Sperry’s role was to distract the officer while the shooter loaded the gun. He also noted Stewart-Sperry chose to flee with the shooter.

Meanwhile, when it came time for the defence to submit their position, McKenzie’s lawyer Douglas Holt reminded the jury the standard to convict someone is “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Holt said there were numerous inconsistencies in the evidence, including eyewitnesses describing tattoos on the shooter’s face, but never mentioning a cross McKenzie has between his eyes.

He also noted McKenzie’s behaviour captured on surveillance camera on his family’s property. He said McKenzie didn’t seem rushed and was not trying to hide his identity.

Holt also pointed out while McKenzie’s DNA was on the gun used to kill Pierzchala, the DNA of the officer that seized it and the DNA of two other unknown people was also present.

He also suggested the text messages sent by McKenzie could be attributed to bravado, noting that when McKenzie was eventually arrested, he followed police instructions.

Holt also wondered why police only found one shell casing at the scene of the shooting, when Pierzchala was hit by six bullets, musing that perhaps the five missing casings were with a person that was not McKenzie.

Holt asked the jury to find McKenzie not guilty.

April 23, 2025

Stewart-Sperry’s lawyer delivered his closing address as the Crown asked the jury to find her guilty as charged.

Crown Prosecutor Fraser McCracken called her McKenzie’s “partner in crime” and claimed she distracted Pierzchala so the shooter could ambush the officer.

The jury has seen footage from Pierzchala’s body-worn camera, showing the officer speaking with Stewart-Sperry and the shooter. The woman briefly raises a blanket over her face before she begins to answer one of the officer’s questions.

That’s when the shooter fires a gun multiple times.

Stewart-Sperry’s lawyer, Scott Reid, argues there isn’t evidence to prove Stewart-Sperry was speaking to the shooter behind the blanket, or, if she did, what was said.

Reid argued the shooter stepped behind Stewart-Sperry as he reached for his gun.

“He’s using her as an unwitting shield,” Reid said.

He also said there is no evidence that Stewart-Sperry knew that the shooter had a gun.

Reid also pointed to testimony from several civilian witnesses who had stopped at the scene of the car in the ditch. They said Stewart-Sperry appeared to be impaired by drugs and did not seem to be thinking coherently.

Reid said Stewart-Sperry’s actions after the shooting also can be attributed to shock or fear, and are not evidence of guilt.

He also noted McKenzie had a loaded gun on him.

“What would you do? Probably exactly what she did. Help him get away.”

Reid asked the jury to find Stewart-Sperry not guilty, noting the standard to convict is beyond a reasonable doubt.

“There is overwhelming doubt,” he suggested.

Justice Andrew Goodman then began charging the jury.

April 24, 2025

Justice Andrew Goodman asked the jury to contemplate the question, “Are you satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that McKenzie was the shooter?”

If so, the judge continued, he should be found guilty of first-degree murder. If not, he must be acquitted.

Stewart-Sperry’s case, Goodman warned, was more complex. She could be found guilty of first-degree murder, guilty of the lesser offense of manslaughter, or not guilty.

The judge said the jury had to determine whether Stewart-Sperry intentionally helped or encouraged the shooting, and if she knew about the shooter’s plan. They also had to decide if she was intoxicated by drugs and, if so, whether she could form the intent required for first-degree murder.

The twelve jurors began deliberations around 2:25 p.m.

After six-and-a-half hours, they came to an agreement.

McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry were both found guilty of first-degree murder.

The judge called the actions of McKenzie “shocking” and Stewart-Sperry’s “cold-blooded and callous.”

Both were sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.

May 22, 2025

McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry filed motions to appeal their convictions.

McKenzie cited “jury bias” as the reason.

During the trial, jurors sent a note to the judge saying they “felt uncomfortable” because when they left the Cayuga, Ont. courthouse during their lunch break or at the end of the day, there were people crowding around their vehicles. Those individuals, the jurors alleged, “appear to be known” to McKenzie. The judge ultimately decided to increase security at the courthouse and asked the jury not to speculate on any connections to the defendant.

Stewart-Sperry listed eight reasons for her appeal request, including that the judge erred by dismissing her lawyer’s request for a directed verdict.

The defense argued at trial that no evidence had been submitted that showed Stewart-Sperry knew the shooter was going to fire at the police officer, or that she even knew he had a gun. Her lawyer also said his client’s behaviour after the shooting was not enough to convict her.