Four-week jury trial is scheduled in May
A Calgary jury will hear the case of two men accused in the fatal shooting of a Rocky View County employee and the wounding of a utility worker during a roadside incident east of the city in 2024.
Lawyers for Arthur Wayne Penner, 36, and Elijah Blake Strawberry, 29, appeared in Calgary Court of King’s Bench to confirm that a four-week jury trial is scheduled to run from May 4 to 29, 2026.
Jury selection started on April 30, ahead of the start of evidence. Both accused remain in custody while they await the trial, according to a CBC report.
Penner and Strawberry are each charged with second-degree murder, attempted murder and robbery. The most serious charge relates to the death of a Rocky View County employee during the incident.
The additional counts of attempted murder and robbery stem from the same event and will be tried together before the jury.
2024 roadside incident and alleged victims
The charges arise from the Aug. 9, 2024 shooting death of county worker Colin John Hough on a rural road near Conrich, east of Calgary.
Hough was fatally shot after he reportedly stopped to help at the scene of a burning truck on the roadside, as COS previously reported. He had been travelling in the area when he came upon the vehicle fire.
According to the allegations, Hough was acting as a Good Samaritan when the situation escalated. He died at the scene after being shot.
A second man, FortisAlberta Inc. employee Matthew Andres, was also shot during the same incident. He survived his injuries.
Penner and Strawberry face attempted murder charges in connection with Andres’s shooting, in addition to the murder charge involving Hough and the related robbery allegation.
Court appearance and trial logistics
During the a brief court appearance in 2025, defence counsel stood in for both accused, who were not required to attend the proceeding.
Lawyer Sam Taylor appeared on behalf of Strawberry’s trial counsel, Rebecca Snukal, confirming Strawberry’s position and readiness for the scheduled dates.
Lawyer Sarah Kondor appeared for Penner’s counsel, Alexandra Seaman, similarly addressing the court on scheduling and representation.
Crown prosecutor Ryan Ziegler confirmed in court that the trial will proceed over 19 sitting days. The Victoria Day holiday falls within the four-week window, reducing the actual number of days the court will sit.
The matter is set to be heard by a jury in Calgary Court of King’s Bench.
Preliminary inquiry and legal arguments
The case was sent to trial following a preliminary inquiry held in June 2025 before Justice Karim Jivraj.
Over four days, prosecutors Ziegler and Photini Papadatou called 12 witnesses to outline the Crown’s evidence. These witnesses formed the basis for the Crown’s argument that the case should be put before a jury.
After reviewing the testimony and exhibits, Justice Jivraj ruled there was sufficient evidence for a jury to consider the charges.
Defence counsel had challenged that position during the hearing. Snukal argued there was not enough evidence to commit Strawberry to stand trial on either the murder or attempted murder counts.
Seaman contested the attempted murder charge against Penner, seeking to limit the case proceeding on that count.
Despite those submissions, the court found there was enough evidence to proceed on all major counts. The court also committed both accused to stand trial on an additional robbery charge involving the use of a restricted or prohibited firearm, sending the full indictment forward to a jury.
