Warning: This story contains details some readers may find disturbing. Cody Chubey admitted he killed his girlfriend, but said he was so intoxicated he doesn’t remember the attack. The 38-year-old took the stand at his first-degree murder trial on Wednesday at Court of King’s Bench in Melfort, Sask. Danielle Dobersheck, 30, was found dead in a Melfort motel on March 10, 2024. Court heard she was beaten to death with a shovel. “I’d like to say, I take full responsibility of what happened and I hope one day my family and everyone around me can forgive this,” Chubey said. The crux of the case is intent. Hours before Dobersheck was killed, the couple travelled to Saskatoon to get matching tattoos. He showed the court the name Danielle tattooed in cursive across his neck. He testified that Dobersheck got Cody tattooed on her chest. After a day of drinking in the city, he said they tried to get a hotel room but were unsuccessful because they did not have a credit card. Chubey testified he was “blackout” drunk and used cocaine, but chose to get behind the wheel and go back to Melfort. He said he remembers driving with Dobersheck and listening to loud music. He claims his memory of the night ends there. “What is the next thing you remember?” defence lawyer Peter Abrametz asked. “Waking up in the RCMP cell,” Chubey responded. Chubey agrees Dobersheck was afraid of him Crown prosecutor Jennifer Souter challenged Chubey’s account of his intoxication level and memory loss. During cross-examination, Souter referenced video footage of Chubey in police custody. She said he did not slur his words or have any trouble with physical coordination. “I’m going to describe you as being a mean drunk. Would you agree with that?” Souter asked. “Some consider that, yes,” Chubey responded. He agreed he likes to fight when he drinks. Chubey said he did not remember kicking down the bathroom door in the motel room. Souter referenced audio recordings from the motel, describing the sounds of the shovel striking Dobersheck as she screamed. “Do you think Danielle was scared of you?” Souter asked. “Yes,” Chubey responded. Chubey testified the couple met at a party when Chubey was 25 and Dobersheck was 19. He said they had been together for about 10 years but broke up “quite frequently.” He said he still considered Dobersheck his girlfriend during those separations. Dobersheck’s father, Darris Dobersheck, said having Chubey on the stand was the first time in the trial he could look Chubey in the eyes. “The whole time his back has been to me. This is the first time that we’ve actually faced each other, but he’s a coward. He won’t look my way or anything,” he said. “I think he remembers a lot more than he’s admitting to.” The trial is expected to continue on Thursday.
