Accused mass killer’s ex-girlfriend tells trial he confessed

Article content

WINNIPEG — In the days following a mass shooting at a Winnipeg rooming house, the accused shooter fled to his grandmother’s home, smoked crack at a motel and confessed to his then-girlfriend that he pulled the trigger that killed five, the woman testified on Monday.

Article content

The jury trial for Jamie Felix began its second week with emotional testimony from his former girlfriend, who told court about their three-year relationship, his chronic seizures that worsened with his addiction to drugs and alcohol, and the moment that he admitted to being at the scene of the shootings.

Article content

Article content

The woman, who can’t be identified due to a publication ban, said the day after the November 2023 shootings occurred she went to speak with Felix at his grandmother’s house.

“(Felix) immediately melted into my arms … he was crying and he was shaking as I was holding him,” said the woman.

“Jamie said, ‘I killed people.”‘

The woman went on to say that “bits and pieces” of the events from the morning of the shootings came out over time until his eventual arrest.

Article content

Article content

She said Felix told her he was at the West Broadway neighbourhood rooming house, which court has heard was a known “crack shack.” Felix felt uncomfortable at the residence but felt he had no where else to go, the former girlfriend said Felix relayed to her.

The trial heard the woman decided to end things with Felix before the killings happened because she had caught him smoking drugs in her car after he failed to pick her up from an appointment. A few days after Felix left their home, the woman said Felix came back high and took her car and her son’s cellphone. He returned shortly after and turned himself in to police.

The woman said Felix told her he had been staying at the rooming house for days using crack and drinking alcohol, and that he hadn’t slept much.

Article content

On the morning of the shootings, the woman said Felix told her there was a group at the residence who included his father, Randolph (Chummy) Fagnan, sister and brother.

“(Felix) told me that everyone was acting sketchy. He was asking his dad and his brother what’s going on because everyone was acting weird,” the woman said.

The trial has heard that Felix’s father and brother were involved with gang life and used drugs.

Felix’s brother would later hand him a gun and place a bullet proof vest on him, which made him feel like he was being “used as a weapon to scare somebody,” the former girlfriend testified.

Court has heard Felix left the residence with his father for a short period. After he returned, the shootings occurred.

Article content

The victims were identified as Crystal Beardy, 34; her sister Stephanie Beardy, 33; Melelek Lesikel, 29; Dylan Lavallee, 41; and Shawn Marko, 56.

Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and two others died in hospital. Marko, the fifth victim, spent 18 months in hospital and died last year.

Felix has pleaded not guilty to five counts of second-degree murder in the shooting deaths.

His ex-girlfriend said he told her parts of the shooting were blurry but, after it occurred, he tried to turn the gun on himself. However, there were no bullets left.

Crown witnesses have testified that Felix was on anti-seizure medication and was advised by doctors not to mix it with drugs or alcohol.

His former girlfriend, who is also epileptic, said she witnessed Felix have multiple seizures and that he would collapse, sometimes turn blue, become disoriented and be unable to complete complex tasks.

The woman said Felix was a loving partner but struggled with periods of drug and alcohol addiction following the death of his twin brother. She said Felix told her his twin brother died as part of a drug deal gone wrong that was arranged by their father.

Article content