banff resident repeatedly stabbed after going to bar restroom during night out with buddy, murder trial hears
john christopher arrizza, 23, is charged with second-degree murder in ethan enns-goneau's aug. 6, 2022, fatal stabbing
sep 12 2024
2 minute read
ethan enns-goneau, a well-known resident of banff, alta., was identified as the victim of a murder at a local bar in the early hours of friday, aug. 5, 2022.
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via postmedia calgary
banff resident ethan enns-goneau spent a night of bar hopping with friends before deciding to hit one more establishment for a nightcap, a calgary jury was told thursday.
but before enns-goneau could join pal bobby lavery in the bar area of the dancing sasquatch bar, he detoured to the washroom to relieve himself.
just over a minute later, enns-goneau, 26, was lying on the floor outside the men’s room in a pool of his own blood suffering from multiple fatal wounds, the calgary court of king’s bench trial heard.
and in his opening address before a 12-member jury and in a statement of agreed facts, crown prosecutor ron simenik said one question jurors won’t have to decide in the seven-day hearing is who killed enns-goneau: it’s accused murderer john christopher arrizza.
“upon entry (to the establishment) enns-goneau went to the restroom, which was located in the basement, with lavery going upstairs to the bar area,” simenik said, reading from the statement of agreed facts.
the prosecutor said lavery believed his friend would join him momentarily.
“closed circuit television at the dancing sasquatch bar captured enns-goneau entering the restroom and one minute and 16 seconds later he is seen being pushed out of the restroom by arrizza, who is then seen stabbing him three times, twice in the chest and once into his side/back,” simenik said.
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“moments after the stabbing, bouncers from the dancing sasquatch begin converging on the restroom area where enns-goneau was observed to be injured, bleeding, with his pants half down his legs while still wearing his backpack. shortly thereafter he collapsed from his injuries.”
arrizza, 23, is charged with second-degree murder in enns-goneau’s aug. 6, 2022, fatal stabbing.
according to the agreed facts, paramedic mackenzie wardle treated the injured victim shortly after the stabbing.
“during his assessment of enns-goneau he observed multiple stab wounds secreting both air and a large amount of blood, approximately 1.5 litres, on the floor near his body.
“observable wounds included a stab wound almost directly over the heart, a stab wound to the left chest, a stab wound high in the stomach, a stab wound to the anterior right chest, a stab wound to the lower posterior right side and a large laceration on his right hand.”
in his opening address simenik told jurors they will only have to determine arrizza’s intent at the time of the stabbing.
“it’s not a case about who killed ethan, or how ethan was killed, or when or where he was killed,” the prosecutor said.
“we know that mr. arrizza killed ethan.”
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