By Canadian Press

Closing arguments begin in murder trial for 2018 Fredericton mass shooting

Nov 16, 2020 | 6:20 AM

FREDERICTON — Closing arguments are underway in the trial of Matthew Raymond, the Fredericton man accused of murder in the shooting deaths of four people in the city two years ago.

Crown prosecutors and defence lawyers are delivering their arguments today in the jury trial that has lasted more than nine weeks and involved more than 40 witnesses.

Raymond, 50, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the Aug. 10, 2018 deaths of Donnie Robichaud, Bobbie Lee Wright and Fredericton police constables Robb Costello and Sara Burns.

The shootings shocked the quiet New Brunswick capital, where violent crime is rare.

Robichaud and Wright were killed as they packed their car for a trip, while the police officers were killed when they responded to the crime scene in the parking lot of a Fredericton apartment complex.

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The Crown and the defence have agreed that Raymond is mentally ill. The question before the court is whether he knew what he was doing when he pulled the trigger and can be held criminally responsible, as the prosecution argues.

During opening statements the defence admitted Raymond killed the victims but says he was delusional and paranoid at the time and should be found not criminally responsible because of a mental disorder.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press