Saskatoon murder trial begins for pair accused in Corman Park homicide

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Police officers testified Monday as the murder trial for two of the three men charged in connection with the death of James “Ed” Swift got underway in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench.

Colton Robert Lischka and Ashtin Ritzand entered not guilty pleas to second-degree murder, attempted murder and using violence to steal a cellphone.

They were arrested on Aug. 29, 2022 after Swift’s body was found north of Saskatoon, off Penner Road near Wanuskewin Heritage Park, early that morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene; a woman who was him was seriously injured and survived. 

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The trial heard both of them had been stabbed.

Lischka was released in November 2022 on a $25,000 surety — a payment made by someone as a promise to ensure an accused person follows their release conditions.

On Monday, he was permitted to sit in the gallery of the courtroom during his judge-alone trial, after Justice Michael Tochor accepted defence lawyer Nicholas Stooshinoff’s request.

Ritzand, 30, is in custody. His lawyer is Blaine Beaven.

Before calling evidence, Crown prosecutor Paul Scott told Tochor that he’s convinced the court will find that both Lischka and Ritzand were involved in Swift’s death.

Cpl. Thomas Yu of the Saskatoon RCMP Major Crimes Unit co-ordinated the crime scene exhibits. He testified that he was called to the scene around 7:30 a.m.

He said Swift’s body was in a ditch along Range Road 3050 — a gravel grid road. Tire impressions, footprints, a liquor bottle, a pocket knife and zip ties were left at the scene, he said.

Court heard there was blood in the gravel and grass, and a receipt from a Shell gas station in Saskatoon’s Evergreen neighbourhood for four prepaid credit cards, purchased at 1:30 a.m.

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Yu said he went to Marlatte Street, also in Evergreen, where a white Honda Civic was being secured.

At the time of the arrests, police said the victims were in a white Honda Civic with three men when an altercation occurred on a rural road around 6 a.m. and the vehicle took off, leaving the victims behind.

Court watched surveillance video obtained from a home on Penner Road, which showed vehicles passing by that morning between 5:27 a.m. and 5:58 a.m.

Yu said a white vehicle — possibly the suspects’ vehicle — was identified driving eastbound at 5:58 a.m.

Warman RCMP Cpl. Sawyer Semenoff testified that he tracked the Honda Civic to a Wendy’s parking lot in Willowgrove around 5 p.m., and it took off when he tried to stop it. He said the suspects ditched the car in the Evergreen neighbourhood, and three people ran from police and tried breaking into multiple homes.

Semenoff testified that he arrested a man who was hiding in a basement suite where he lived on Marlatte Street. According to prior police information, Lischka was arrested inside that home.

Police had indicated that Ritzand turned himself in the next day.

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A third man, Anthony Burley, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder and flight from police. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12.

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