The family of a man murdered in December near Lacombe are expressing their frustration and anger at our justice system after one of the accused had her charges withdrawn.

20-year-old Ponoka resident Jeffrey Kraft was admitted to the Lacombe Hospital around 2 am on with a gunshot wound on Sunday, December 15th, 2019, where he later died of his injuries.

Police were able to identify two suspects, 27-year-old Tyler John Campbell, and 21-year-old Amie Rogers, both of Lacombe, who were eventually arrested by Sylvan Lake RCMP later on the same day.

They were both charged with second-degree murder, robbery with a firearm and conspiracy to commit. 

Jeffrey's sister Caitlin and her family were shocked and disgusted when at their most recent court hearing on November 16th, 2020, Rogers had her charges withdrawn, with prosecutors saying they lacked sufficient evidence against her to go to trial.

Campbell waived his right to a preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a firearm. He will appear in court again for sentencing on January 29th.  

Caitlin Kraft says that doesn't mean they still don't hold Rogers partly responsible for her brother’s death.

"There may have not been enough evidence to hold her accountable, but she knows what she did, she is guilty... she can never wash the blood off her hands...If it wasn’t for Amie my brother wouldn’t be dead." 

Jeffrey Kraft, photo submitted by Carrie Cocke.

Kraft says they've been writing letters to our MP Ron Orr as well as Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu to try and seek changes to our justice system, which she says doesn't have the best interest of the victims or their families in mind.

"All I can say is our justice system needs to be revamped. They say that it works for the victims and it doesn't. It doesn't. Criminals have all the rights."

After hearing the agreed statement of facts about what happened that night, Caitlin was even more upset about the outcome of last Monday's court date.

"My thoughts were, honestly, utter disgust. How could somebody, or two people, do something so cruel to another human being?... It's upsetting, this is my brother! I mean, it doesn't matter who it is, but for me this is my brother and he deserves justice. If it wasn't for Amie, he wouldn't have been in that situation." 

 

What happened that night

According to the agreed statement of facts, on the evening of December 15th, 2019, Jeffrey Kraft and another friend met Amie Rogers in the parking lot of the Lacombe Boston Pizza around 1:30 am. Tyler Campbell was already in the trunk of Rogers Audi armed with a loaded 12-gauge shotgun.

Kraft and his friend entered Rogers's vehicle with Kraft in the front passenger seat, and then Rogers drove a short distance to a rural road in Lacombe with the intention of consuming cannabis, with Kraft rolling a joint in the front seat. 

Once they arrived, Roger's left the vehicle and said she was going to the trunk to retrieve her bong. When she opened the trunk, Campbell got out and walked to the passenger side of the vehicle, pointing the shotgun at that side of the vehicle.

Campbell then opened the front passenger door and yelled, "Who is Jeff?", with Kraft then identifying himself. Campbell then yelled that Kraft owed him money, to which Kraft replied with "I'll pay you."

That's when the shotgun fired, hitting Kraft in the upper right chest from point-blank range. Kraft immediately fell out of the vehicle and onto the ground.

That's when Kraft's friend, who was in the backseat of the car, got out of the vehicle.

Rogers then said, "We have to get him to the hospital." Campbell then added, "it's not supposed to be this way."

Campbell and the other friend helped Kraft back into the vehicle, and then Campbell drove all of them to the Lacombe hospital.

Kraft's friend ran inside to get assistance and returned to find Kraft lying on the ground in the hospital parking lot.

The Audi, along with Rogers and Campbell, had already fled the scene. 

Medical assistance was provided to Kraft but he died of his injuries a short time later. Rogers and Campbell were arrested by Sylvan Lake RCMP at approximately 9 am that morning.