Fort Erie Airbnb double murder trial poised to begin for rapper

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WELLAND — On a frigid winter evening, evil came out to play.

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By the time the smoke had cleared in the early morning hours of Jan. 19, 2021, Juliana Pannunzio, 20, of Windsor, and Christine Crooks, 18, of Toronto, had been shot and killed.

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More accurately and appropriately, the cruel slayings were nothing less than executions.

The tragedy unfolded during yet another dreary COVID-19 lockdown. Not everyone was following the rules — in fact, most Canadians, in their own ways, were breaking them. For example, weekly I’d grab a six-pack and meet up in Monarch Park with a buddy.

Still, one group of people were going further than a quiet booze-a-ramma in the park. That Tuesday night in Fort Erie was going to be a birthday bash, complete with drinking games.

But sometime in the early morning hours, the gathering suddenly went off the rails. The next visitors to the home at 4197 Niagara Parkway were homicide detectives and the coroner.

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Now, the accused triggerman, Scarborough rapper Christopher “El Plaga” Lucas, 23, is slated to go on trial in Welland on two counts of first-degree murder on Monday. The jury trial is expected to last six to nine weeks.

DECENCY TOOK A POWDER

The inhuman cold-heartedness of not just the murders themselves, but the bitter aftermath was shocking even for these desensitized days. Decency took a powder that night in Fort Erie.

Cops said that it took one of the estimated 16 partygoers more than 80 minutes to call 911. By then, it was too late for Pannunzio and Crooks. The damage was done, and the hearts of the two young women’s friends and family were shattered into a million pieces forever.

So far, it is unclear what Pannunzio and Crooks’ connection was to the group of partiers. They apparently didn’t know their alleged killer or most of the others present. A multitude of questions remain.

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Last October, two Scarborough residents pleaded guilty to obstruction charges in connection with the horrific crime. One, Heidi Bahler, testified she was hosting the party for her friend Trevor Barnett.

She did not know Pannunzio or Crooks.

“We played the game ‘Never Have I Ever’ and other drinking games,” Bahler testified. “We all got along, and we were really enjoying our time, and we were laughing.”

She added: “I don’t know what led up to the events of this disgusting crime.”

But just before 3 a.m., gunshots were heard at the party palace. Inside the faux chalet were the bodies of Crooks and Pannunzio.

‘PUPPET MASTER’

In the lead-up to the obstruction trial last October, a tapestry of lies and half-truths had been woven. Denials. False information. Red herrings. Barnett pleaded guilty to obstruction as he counselled partygoers to lie to cops. Prosecutor Jody Ostapiw called the birthday boy the “puppet master.”

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Because of the false trails and conflicting stories, it took homicide detectives eight months to make arrests.

Lawyers for the pair convicted of obstruction claimed their clients lied out of fear of reprisals or of having the sickening crimes pinned on them.

‘WHY?’ IS BIGGEST QUESTION

From late morning on Jan. 19, 2021, and after the “who” piece of the puzzle allegedly has been answered, the nagging and most disturbing aspect of the Fort Erie murders has been “why?” The motive has never been revealed or even hinted at.

Detectives said neither young woman had any connection to the pair who went down for obstruction, or their alleged killer.

And that’s more disturbing than anything else.

bhunter@postmedia.com

@HunterTOSun

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