Jeffery Kraft, 20, of Ponoka, died on Dec. 15, 2019 after suffering a gunshot wound during an altercation in Lacombe.

By Sheldon Spackman

Losing Hope For Justice

Mother of Lacombe murder victim furious both accused are out on bail

Mar 4, 2020 | 10:36 AM

The mother of a young man murdered in Lacombe last year says she’s lost her faith in Canada’s justice system.

Carrie Cocke of Ponoka says with both people charged in her son’s death now walking free after less than three months, Canada’s justice system is in need of change.

Cocke spoke to rdnewsNOW about her concerns after 27-year-old Tyler John Campbell of Lacombe was granted bail on Tuesday.

Campbell, along with Amie Joanne Rogers, 21, also of Lacombe, is charged with second-degree murder, conspire to commit murder, and robbery with a firearm. Campbell also faces a count of breach of conditions in the Dec. 15, 2019 shooting death of Jeffery Kraft of Ponoka.

Cocke says the justice system favours the accused, rather than victims of crime.

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“I know it’s innocent until proven guilty, but why do they get to walk out and be with their families, when the family of the victim is left picking up the pieces, left trying to understand why,” she questions. “They need to be held accountable. They don’t need to get out and enjoy life and eat at their favourite restaurants and go hug their moms or their brothers or their sisters.”

Cocke says she’s still trying to figure out how to carry on each day without her son.

“My boy was taken,” she said with her voice trembling. “They had other options. They could have done anything but kill him. They could have beaten him up, they could have threatened him. They did not have to kill him.”

Cocke says the tragic loss of her son leaves her praying each night that she doesn’t wake up the next morning.

“When I wake up, I scream and holler at God that he let me wake up,” cries Cocke. “My son was a determined, hard-working young man – he was just 20-years-old. He was looking at a promotion at work, he had plans for the next day, for the next week. He was looking forward to living his life, and they just took it.”

Cocke feels criminals make their choices, but often don’t suffer any consequences for their actions.

“Finding out they’re both out on bail, I can’t rely on the justice system,” laments Cocke. “I don’t believe that justice will ever be served.”

Campbell and Rogers are scheduled to return to Red Deer provincial court March 20 to set a date for a preliminary hearing to determine whether the case has enough evidence to go to trial.

NOTE: Campbell was ordered released on Tuesday but remains in custody until an official release date has been set. The matter is to be spoken to in court Thursday.