ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Kurt Churchill of St. John’s is in custody in Toronto and will be escorted back to Newfoundland in the next few days in connection with the murder of James Cody a year ago.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says it executed a warrant for Churchill’s arrest with the help of Toronto police Tuesday evening. Churchill, 44, will make an appearance in court in Ontario today before police escort him back to St. John’s on charges of second-degree murder, using a firearm in the commission of an offense, careless use of a firearm, possession of an unauthorized firearm, possession of a prohibited firearm and tampering with a firearm’s serial number.
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Cody, 47, was fatally shot in the street in the early morning hours of July 5, 2020. Neighbours say they heard gunshots before police arrived to find Cody dead in front of Churchill’s residence at 40 Craigmillar Avenue and his red Jeep’s driver-side door still open, parked nearby.
Police issued an advisory to area residents on Twitter, asking them to shelter in place as they secured the crime scene and determined no one was in the home. A subsequent search of Churchill‘s residence resulted in a seizure of items such as DNA swabs, bullet casings, a CCTV system and multiple mobile phones. A handgun was located on an adjacent property. At a news conference in the following days, investigators said suspects had been identified.
On Wednesday, RNC Insp. Colin McNeil told reporters more than 60 people had been interviewed during the year-long investigation, which also included forensic testing of the items seized. Officers assigned to the case “worked tirelessly” to bring it to a conclusion, McNeil said.
Though the investigation was long, McNeil said officers had been “prepared to intervene” if they suspected there was a risk to the public.
McNeil said investigators have remained in close contact with Cody’s loved ones — some of whom attended the media briefing from a distance Wednesday but declined comment — over the past year.
Recent case
Churchill last appeared in court in St. John’s in the fall on an unrelated charge. In September provincial court Judge David Orr found him guilty of threatening an RNC officer who had picked him up on George Street for being drunk in public in March 2019, telling him, “I’m going to put my f---ing boot in your head.”
Churchill told the court at his sentencing hearing he had no recollection of the incident, but apologized if he had scared or intimidated any officers. Orr granted Churchill a conditional discharge and 12 months probation. He also ordered Churchill to provide a DNA sample to police within 10 days.
Churchill successfully applied to the province’s Supreme Court for a stay of the DNA order pending the outcome of an appeal of his finding of guilt on the threats charge.
Churchill is also currently under investigation by the RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit for money laundering and proceeds of crime offenses. The investigation was initiated after homicide investigators turned items seized during the search of Churchill’s home over to the Mounties.
The RCMP went to court in November to ask for an extension on the time limit to hold onto the items, which they said includes more than half a million dollars in cash, a money counter, a vacuum sealer and sealable storage bags, financial documents from various banks, dozens of retail, travel and bill payment receipts indicating cash payments — some for amounts greater than $10,000 — tax documents from the Canada Revenue Agency, 2.1 grams of cocaine, four mobile phones and an iMac computer.
Churchill had once been charged with drugs offenses. He was arrested in 2014 in connection with a police investigation into cocaine trafficking in the St. John’s area, but the charges were later dismissed after his lawyer argued unreasonable trial delays.
More to come.
Tara Bradbury reports on justice and the courts in St. John's
tara.bradbury@thetelegram.com
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
Facebook: @telegramtara
