Two guilty in roadside killing of Good Samaritan near Calgary
Elijah Strawberry and Arthur Penner convicted of second-degree murder in Colin Hough's death during rural carjacking.
A jury has found Elijah Strawberry and Arthur Penner guilty of second-degree murder and armed robbery in the killing of Colin Hough, a Rocky View County worker who stopped to help at a roadside emergency east of Calgary in August 2024.
Hough pulled over after spotting smoke and flames from a stolen truck that had been set on fire. Strawberry and Penner rushed his truck and fired multiple shots. Video from a nearby semi-trailer driver captured a figure collapsing in the road. Hough was pronounced dead at the scene.
Matthew Andres, a Fortis Alberta surveyor working in the area, was also shot in the arm during the incident but survived. He testified that after being shot, he ran for his life while the attackers stole his truck and drove it into a ditch.
The Crown's case relied on DNA evidence from items found at the scene and in Hough's stolen truck, which matched both men. Attempted murder charges against them were withdrawn mid-trial. Penner was arrested five days after the shooting; Strawberry was found a month later hiding on the O'Chiese First Nation.
Jurors deliberated for less than 24 hours before reaching their verdict Friday, after hearing more than three weeks of evidence. The case underscores the dangers of rural Alberta highways and the risks faced by those who stop to help others.