The air inside the historic Cayuga courthouse grew thick with anticipation as the hours stretched into Thursday evening. After weeks of testimony and evidence presented within the Ontario Superior Court, the fate of Randall McKenzie and Brandi Stewart-Sperry rested with twelve jurors. Their deliberations, which began earlier that day, culminated around 9 p.m. with a decisive outcome: guilty as charged of first-degree murder in the death of Ontario Provincial Police Constable Greg Pierzchala.
The individuals at the centre of this sombre proceeding were McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry. They had maintained pleas of not guilty throughout the trial, which commenced in late March 2025. The victim, Const. Pierzchala, was a 28-year-old officer with the Haldimand County OPP detachment. His life was cut short on December 27, 2022, when he responded to a call about a stolen vehicle crashed in a ditch near Hagersville. Presiding over the trial was Justice Andrew Goodman, who would later characterize the actions leading to the officer’s death as profoundly “callous” and “cold-blooded.”
The core event was the jury’s verdict, delivered after careful consideration of the evidence. Both McKenzie and Stewart-Sperry received the mandatory sentence for first-degree murder: life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 25 years. The verdict reading reportedly sent gasps through the courtroom. McKenzie, visibly affected, turned towards the gallery where Const. Pierzchala’s family and supporters sat. “I’m so sorry to your family,” he stated. “What happened, that should never happen to nobody.” Stewart-Sperry remained silent.
This trial unfolded within the walls of the Ontario Superior Court in Cayuga, a setting steeped in judicial history. The initial incident that led to the charges occurred roadside outside Hagersville, Ontario, highlighting the unpredictable dangers faced by law enforcement. The trial itself spanned several weeks, beginning March 27 and concluding with the verdict on April 24, 2025, following afternoon deliberations.
The crucial question addressed by the trial was why this tragedy occurred and who bore responsibility. The Crown prosecutors built a case arguing that McKenzie was the individual who shot Const. Pierzchala multiple times, and that Stewart-Sperry actively assisted him in the act. Neither defendant testified. McKenzie’s defence team focused on creating reasonable doubt about whether he was definitively the shooter depicted in the officer’s bodycam footage. Stewart-Sperry’s counsel argued she was merely present, not a willing participant, dismissing the Crown’s evidence of her involvement as “speculation and conjecture.”
The jury trial process involved hearing from numerous witnesses, including those present at the scene and police involved in the subsequent response. Expert testimony concerning digital video analysis, toxicology, and DNA evidence was also presented, although specifics were not detailed in public reports. Justice Goodman played a critical role, guiding the jury over two days on applying legal principles. For McKenzie, the task was relatively straightforward: determine beyond a reasonable doubt if he was the shooter. For Stewart-Sperry, the judge provided a decision-making flowchart, prompting jurors to consider if she aided or encouraged the murder, or if the shooting was a foreseeable consequence of another crime she was involved in committing. Ultimately, the jury found the evidence compelling enough to convict both individuals as charged.
Following the verdict, OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, via a statement read by media coordinator Ed Sanchuk, acknowledged the “incredibly challenging period” for everyone affected, particularly Const. Pierzchala’s family. The statement paid tribute to the fallen officer as “committed… [serving] with courage and integrity.” Crown lawyer Fraser McCracken expressed gratitude to the jury for their diligence in ensuring “justice was done.”
The verdicts rendered in the Cayuga Courthouse mark a significant step towards closure for the grieving family and the wider policing community. While the judge’s words offered solace, acknowledging shared grief, the outcome underscores the stark reality of the risks officers face and the rigorous process required by the Ontario Superior Court to hold individuals accountable for such devastating actions. The jury’s finding of guilty as charged brings a formal end to the court proceedings, affirming the arguments presented by the Crown prosecutors during the intensive trial.
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Jury finds 2 people guilty of 1st-degree murder in killing of Ontario Const. Greg Pierzchala
