Airbnb renter claims she’s ‘not involved’ during double murder trial

A key witness at a Niagara Parkway rental where two young women were shot told jurors she still cannot explain what unfolded inside the Fort Erie house. Heidi Bahler rented the Airbnb that night and phoned 911 more than one hour after the shooting took place.

Her testimony came Thursday at the trial of Christopher Lucas, accused in the 2021 double murder of 18-year-old Christine Crooks of Toronto and 20-year-old Juliana Pannunzio of Windsor.

Bahler had booked the Fort Erie property through Airbnb for Trevor Barnett’s 29th birthday party.

Bahler told the jury she was in a friend’s car outside the waterfront house on January 19, 2021, when she heard loud sounds and saw people rush out. She said she had been drinking and smoking marijuana that night and felt intoxicated.

Many questions from assistant Crown attorney Jody Ostapiw were met with short, combative answers. According to reporting by the Niagara Falls Review, Bahler repeatedly said she does not know what happened inside the house.

“It’s your guys job to find out what happened, not mine,” Bahler told the Crown. “I don’t know what happened.”

Pannunzio was found in a chair in the living room and Crooks was found in a bedroom, each killed by gunfire from a Glock pistol.

The court previously heard a recording of the 911 call Bahler made more than one hour after Crooks and Pannunzio were shot.

“I posted some stuff online. And I…gave the address like oh, like come party, whatever and, and people came I didn’t know,” Bahler told the dispatcher. “I went outside with my friend for a smoke and I heard some stuff and we just like left.”

Police later determined Bahler returned to the rental before calling 911 to retrieve some of her belongings and her car.

She never mentioned that two women had been shot and could be in need of medical help. She made the 911 call while driving back to Toronto.

Investigators also found multiple calls, totalling 48 minutes, between Bahler and Barnett, also of Scarborough, before she phoned police.

Bahler deleted her call logs before surrendering her phone to police, and the Crown pressed her on whether she was trying to shield anyone.

“Are you protecting Trevor Barnett?” the Crown asked.

“I’m not involved,” Bahler replied, repeating the same response when asked if she was protecting Lucas.

Bahler pleaded guilty last year to obstruction of justice for giving false and misleading information. She had no criminal record at the time and was sentenced to time served, the three months she spent in custody pending trial, plus two years of probation.

Crooks had been invited to the residence by Lucas, then 22 years old and known by the stage name “El Plaga.” Crooks was Pannunzio’s only known connection to the party.

Lucas, now 27, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. The Crown’s theory is Lucas pulled the trigger and says evidence will show he acted in a way that is “consistent with the conduct of a guilty person and inconsistent with the conduct of an innocent person.”

The trial, which started in October, is expected to continue through December.

Stay Informed

Events, offers, contests, and breaking news, all delivered straight to your inbox.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Subscribe