Former Gang Member Points Finger at Whitehawk in Regina Murder Retrial
In a dramatic courtroom scene in Regina's Court of King's Bench, a former gang member who once considered himself a "soldier" testified that Dillon Ricky Whitehawk was responsible for the fatal drive-by shootings of two men in late 2019. The witness, whose identity remains protected by a publication ban granted by Associate Chief Justice Michael Tochor, provided detailed testimony about the events of November 9, 2019, though his account faced significant challenges from defense counsel during cross-examination.
Chilling Testimony About Gang Hierarchy and Motive
The jury of fourteen heard the witness describe his former position as a "soldier" within the Indian Mafia street gang, while identifying Whitehawk, 31, as a higher-ranked "crew boss." According to the testimony, Whitehawk had been discussing the desire to "catch" a "body" earlier that evening while the group was hanging out and smoking methamphetamine. When Crown prosecutor David Belanger asked about Whitehawk's motivation, the witness responded, "So he could have a body under his belt, I guess."
The witness testified that he drove a black, two-door Chevy car that night with his then-girlfriend, herself a crew boss, in the front passenger seat. Whitehawk sat directly behind her in the back seat, with two additional female gang members also in the rear of the vehicle. The group went for a cruise through Regina neighborhoods before encountering two individuals unknown to the witness.
Conflicting Details About the Fatal Encounter
According to the testimony, someone in the vehicle asked the two men whether they were "down" with anyone, meaning gang-affiliated. The witness initially stated Whitehawk asked this question, but moments later said it was actually his girlfriend who posed the inquiry. Regardless of who asked, the witness was clear about what happened next: Whitehawk allegedly pulled out a .22-caliber Ruger rifle belonging to the gang and fired, striking 27-year-old Jordan Gaiton Denton in the back.
Denton was pronounced dead by paramedics on the 800 block of Robinson Street. The second victim, 23-year-old Keenan Scott Toto, was also killed in the shooting according to the witness's testimony. Whitehawk has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder in his second trial for these crimes, having already been tried once previously.
Defense Challenges Shooting Mechanics
During cross-examination, defense lawyer Zachary Carter aggressively challenged the witness's account of the shooting mechanics. Carter suggested it would be "next to impossible" for someone to fire a gun from the back seat of a two-door car in the manner described. The witness countered that the front seat slides forward, creating necessary space.
"Was the shooter in the passenger seat?" Carter asked pointedly. "No," the witness responded firmly. When Carter reminded the witness that everything happened quickly and asked if he actually watched the shooting occur, the witness admitted, "I don't really remember." This admission highlighted potential inconsistencies in the testimony that the defense will likely emphasize throughout the trial.
The retrial continues as both prosecution and defense present their cases regarding the late-2019 killings that have gripped the Regina community. The witness's testimony represents a crucial but contested element in determining Whitehawk's culpability for the two murders.
