WARNING: This article contains details some readers may find disturbing. Readers’ discretion is advised.
The accused has pleaded guilty in connection to the 2018 murder of a Windsor man.
Darrion Moffatt, 18, was shot on Sept. 8, 2018, at a home on Hall Avenue.
Rual Huezo, now 25 years old, pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit an assault.
He had been charged with murder in Moffatt’s death.
“I’m just really disheartened by the whole justice system,” Moffatt’s mother Carolyn Crankshaw told CTV News outside of court.
“I feel like it’s failed our family.”
Assistant Crown Attorney Brian Pillon read an agreed statement of fact Friday, laying out what happened at the house, whose tenants, he said, were known to sell illegal marijuana.
Huezo, the Crown read, was asked to stand at the front door of the home to prevent others from entering because “a kid inside named Darrion” was being “beat up for stealing.”
“During this time, he (Huezo) could hear the sound of thuds and the voice of a male crying,” Pillon said.
Huezo did not hear a gunshot.
Moffatt was transported to hospital, according to Pillon, but doctors advised his injuries were not survivable.
“The autopsy concluded that Mr. Moffatt sustained blunt force injuries to his face, including a shoe tread-patterned bruise on the right side of his face,” said Pillon.
“In addition to the gunshot wound.”
Darrion Moffatt died on Sept. 10, two days after he was shot.
Three days after that, Huezo was charged with first-degree murder.
Over the last seven years, the case has been interrupted by pandemic restrictions and by changing evidence from a former co-accused.
“I didn’t really understand that part of it, how it went from being a strong case to not a strong case.” said Crankshaw.
“And now, here we are.”
The Crown admitted Friday, the charges against a co-accused were withdrawn in 2019.
That same person was also interviewed by police on numerous occasions and again this past July.
Prosecutors said his story changed over time.
“(The witness) statements contain inconsistencies,” Pillon said.
Pillon also told the court there is no forensic evidence at the scene and the firearm used to shoot Moffatt was never recovered.
Justice Bruce Thomas also noted “various version of events” have been presented by that witness during pre-trial motions.
The judge said he was “concerned” about the “substance” of the crowns case against Huezo.
He will face a sentencing hearing on Oct. 8.
Crankshaw said she will be writing a victim impact statement for the court.
“It just feels like all this waiting was for nothing,” Crankshaw said.
After that, Huezo has some breach of bail allegations to be dealt with in the Ontario Court of Justice.
Huezo was released on bail in May 2020, but then rearrested when, police allege, he breached his bail conditions.
Huezo was again released with new bail conditions but arrested in May 2024 for another allegation of a breach of bail conditions.