They were two young women from out of town. They were shot dead at an Airbnb in small-town Ontario in mysterious circumstances. A Scarborough rapper is now on trial for the double murder.
Christine Crooks, 18, of Toronto and Juliana Pannunzio, 20, of Windsor were both killed on Jan. 19, 2021. The party, held at a palatial waterfront Airbnb in the Niagara Region town of Fort Erie, was held in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. It ended with the discovery of the bodies of Crooks, found dead in a bedroom, and Pannunzio, found shot in a living room chair.
Christopher “El Plaga” Lucas, 23, is standing trial, charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of both women. Police say they found his DNA on a marijuana joint found near Crooks’ body.
It took police almost eight months to make an arrest in the case. “Nearly five years later, not one of the partygoers there has identified the shooter,” the prosecutor said.
So far, the connections between Crooks and Pannunzio and the partygoers — and the alleged gunman — remain somewhat obscured, and few witnesses have given information to police. Details of what happened that night remain shrouded.
On Tuesday, Crown attorney Jodi Ostapiw said that Crooks invited Pannunzio to attend the party. Crooks was allegedly invited by Lucas.
Heidi Bahler is said to have been the organizer of the 19th birthday party, held for a man named Trevor Barnett. Bahler, of Scarborough, did not know Crooks or Pannunzio. Bahler and Barnett both pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice — Barnett having counselled other partygoers to lie to police.
Lawyers for the two said they lied to police out of fear of reprisals or of having the crimes pinned on them.
What is known is that in the earlier stages of the party, the group played drinking games. They had a good time.
“We played the game ‘Never Have I Ever’ and other drinking games,” Bahler testified at her trial. “We all got along, and we were really enjoying our time, and we were laughing.”
Sometime around 3 a.m., gunshots were heard inside.
“I don’t know what led up to the events of this disgusting crime,” said Bahler.
Eighty minutes after the killings, Bahler placed a 911 call. It took her several minutes on the phone before she even mentioned that there had been a shooting at the house. During the nine-minute call, which court heard on Tuesday, she said there were people at the party that she didn’t know, and that she had been outside having a smoke when the gunshots were heard, and that she “heard pops, like fireworks.”
“I just wanted to have a good time,” she said.
Several months before the shooting, Lucas filmed a video of himself holding a Glock, a brand of firearm. Police had zeroed in on Lucas by July 2021. At the time, he had stopped attending court appearances on other legal matters.
By August 2021, police had arrested and charged Lucas.
The trial is expected to last up to nine weeks.
