Edmonton Man Found Guilty of Second Homicide Following Previous Conviction for Jail Killing
An Edmonton man previously convicted of killing a sex offender while incarcerated has now been found guilty of a second homicide. Clayton Berard, 45, was convicted Monday of manslaughter and aggravated assault for two separate stabbing incidents that occurred in 2019 within Edmonton's homeless shelter district.
Details of the 2019 Stabbing Attacks
Court of King's Bench Justice Thomas Rothwell stated he had no reasonable doubt that Berard was responsible for fatally stabbing Ida Rosalie Knife on March 28, 2019. The attack occurred just hours before a similar assault on Albert Stevens in the same vicinity. However, Justice Rothwell determined the Crown had not sufficiently proven Berard could form the specific intent required for murder charges, citing Berard's experience of "active psychosis" shortly after his incarceration.
The judge described the attack on Knife as particularly brutal, noting she was stabbed eleven times in the head and neck area. Security footage captured the assault outside the George Spady Centre, a detox facility and supervised consumption site, showing a man wearing distinctive clothing—a green jacket over a blue jacket with jeans featuring a white stripe—approaching Knife, repeatedly stabbing her, and then calmly walking away from the scene.
Connection to Previous Conviction
These latest convictions come several months after Berard pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2019 killing of Bruce Donald Windsor at the Edmonton Remand Centre. Berard strangled Windsor in their shared cell after discovering Windsor was a registered sex offender. This jailhouse killing occurred approximately three months after Berard's initial arrest for the attacks on Knife and Stevens.
Evidence Presented in Court
Forensic evidence played a crucial role in the conviction. Investigators found Knife's DNA on Berard's jeans, and records showed he had checked into the Spady Centre using a false name just prior to the attack. Justice Rothwell noted that cross-referencing photographs from this check-in with earlier images where Berard used his real name confirmed he was wearing the same distinctive clothing as the attacker immediately before Knife's death.
The second victim, Albert Stevens, was attacked later the same day outside the Boyle Street Community Services building. The assault severed Stevens' jugular vein and carotid artery, requiring consecutive emergency surgeries. Although Stevens initially survived the attack, he passed away two years later from complications related to his injuries.
Lack of Motive and Judicial Commentary
Throughout the proceedings, no clear motive emerged for either attack. Berard had no prior relationship with either victim and declined to testify during the trial. Justice Rothwell emphasized that despite the absence of motive, the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to Berard's responsibility for both stabbings.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about violence in Edmonton's homeless shelter district and raises questions about mental health considerations within the justice system, particularly regarding intent determinations in cases involving psychological distress at the time of offenses.
