Eyewitness IDs man accused of fatally shooting 5 people at Winnipeg drug house in 2023

A key eyewitness has identified the man accused of carrying out one of Winnipeg’s deadliest mass shootings as the gunman who opened fire inside a drug house in 2023, killing five people in what prosecutors describe as a calculated act of violence.

Jamie Felix has pleaded not guilty to five counts of second-degree murder in connection with the Nov. 26, 2023 shootings on Langside Street in the city’s West Broadway neighbourhood. The victims were Shawn Marko, 56; Maxwell Lavallee, 41; Melelek Leseri Lesikel, 29; and sisters Crystal Shannon Beardy, 34, and Stephanie Amanda Beardy, 33. Four of the victims were shot in the head. Marko later died from his injuries months after the attack.

During testimony before the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench, 28-year-old Xena Hall told jurors she saw Felix enter the residence moments before gunfire erupted. She described hearing a series of loud bangs and chaos unfolding inside the home. Hall testified that Felix came in last, raised his hand, and shots rang out almost immediately.

Hall said she was pulled into a bathroom by Randolph “Chummy” Fagnan — Felix’s late father and Hall’s on-and-off boyfriend at the time — as the shooting continued. She told the court that Fagnan shouted for a handgun during the confusion, while Felix allegedly said words to the effect of, “What did you guys make me do?”

After the shooting, Hall testified she fled the scene with drugs from the residence and went to Fagnan’s apartment. There, she alleged, she was tied to a chair, beaten and threatened by Fagnan and his daughter. According to her testimony, they warned her not to tell police that Felix was responsible and threatened harm to her family if she did.

Felix avoided arrest for several days before being taken into custody on Dec. 1, 2023, at a former girlfriend’s home. Earlier in the trial, that ex-girlfriend testified that Felix admitted in private conversations that he had killed people following the shooting.

Prosecutors have presented additional evidence to the jury, including testimony from police officers who said Felix’s fingerprints were found at the scene. Surveillance footage shown in court reportedly places Felix, Fagnan, Hall and others in the area around the time of the killings.

Hall also testified that Felix had shown her a black handgun on the night of the shooting. She said she did not expect violence but recalled being told that Felix suffered from brain damage and required medication to remain stable. Court has heard that Felix lives with a seizure disorder and had struggled with substance misuse, despite medical advice to avoid drugs and alcohol due to potential complications.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Theodore Mariash challenged Hall’s credibility, questioning inconsistencies in her statements about who showed her the weapon and whether her drug use affected her memory. He suggested she may have had prior knowledge of a plan to rob or harm people inside the home — an allegation Hall firmly denied.

At one tense moment, the defence accused her of being complicit in the events leading up to the killings. Hall rejected the claim and insisted she saw Felix shoot the victims. She also acknowledged she was afraid of other individuals allegedly connected to the events that night.

The trial continues, with more police witnesses and a forensic pathologist expected to testify. The case has drawn significant attention in Winnipeg, as the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of a mass killing that shook the West Broadway neighbourhood and renewed debate about drug-related violence in the city.