Bloodied man told Uber driver “I just killed my mom,” witness says at Calgary murder trial
An Uber driver testified at the Calgary murder trial that a bloodied man told him ‘I just killed my mom’ after an alleged slaying near Foothills Medical Centre.
Uber driver recounts encounter with bloodied man
When Uber driver Shaneef Virani took the witness stand, he described being flagged down by a bloodied man in the early hours of June 30, 2023. Virani told the court the man approached his vehicle at the east side of Foothills Medical Centre and repeatedly pleaded, "I just killed my mom, please call 911."
The witness said he kept his eyes on the man, describing him as "all bloodied," and that he locked the vehicle doors with one foot on the brake and the other on the accelerator. Virani testified he feared for his safety and intended to call emergency services after securing the fare and leaving the hospital complex.
CCTV places white minivan at Foothills at 3:17 a.m.
Prosecutors showed jurors hospital CCTV footage that captured a white minivan pulling into an intersection on the east side of the Foothills Medical Centre at 3:17 a.m. The video shows a man walking calmly down the middle of 29th Street N.W. and approaching the driver’s side door of the waiting vehicle.
Crown counsel used the footage to corroborate Virani’s account of the encounter and to establish a timeline that places the man at the scene shortly after the alleged homicide. The timestamp on the footage and the witness testimony are central elements of the Crown’s presentation.
Accused charged with second-degree murder in June 2023 death
The Crown has identified the man in court as Alex (Aixin) Xu, 23, who is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Alice (Jingying) Ai. In his opening address, co-prosecutor Paul Marcellus told the jury the Crown alleges Xu bludgeoned his mother to death with a boulder between two homes on 29th Street shortly before the encounter with Virani.
The charge of second-degree murder indicates the Crown must prove the accused caused the death of Ai without lawful justification and with culpable intent. The accused entered the trial process facing the single count arising from the June 30, 2023 incident.
Witness describes actions inside vehicle and emergency response
Virani testified he initially believed the bloodied man might be the person who had booked a ride from the hospital emergency department, noting the man’s arm-waving and position in the roadway. He said he told the man he would call 911, but that he intentionally focused on keeping the vehicle secure and departing the immediate area.
On cross-examination, defence lawyer Dale Fedorchuk questioned aspects of the witness’s perception, including whether the man had actually been pointing toward the homes the Crown says were the scene of the homicide. Virani conceded he had not looked in that direction and that his attention remained fixed on the man at the door.
Graphic crime-scene photos shown after judge’s warning
Jurors were briefly shown a series of graphic photographs depicting the victim’s lifeless body after Const. Ryan Wood entered the images as exhibits. Justice Robert Armstrong warned the panel they would see disturbing material and instructed them not to let the images influence their deliberations beyond their evidentiary value.
The Crown said the photographs were relevant to proving the injuries sustained and to the timeline of events. The judge’s cautionary directions are routine when courts admit images with the potential to cause emotional distress.
Defence challenges elements of the Crown’s timeline and evidence
Defence counsel pressed the witness on details that could affect the Crown’s narrative, including the direction the accused allegedly pointed while saying he had killed his mother. The line of questioning sought to highlight uncertainties in the witness’s recall and to challenge the inference that the man picked up by Virani had just committed the homicide.
The defence will have opportunities to call its own witnesses and to contest forensic and circumstantial evidence the Crown presents. The focus in coming days will include how well the CCTV, witness testimony and physical evidence align with the Crown’s account.
Scheduling and proceedings in Court of King’s Bench
The trial was scheduled to proceed over a five-week window, though court staff indicated it may conclude sooner depending on the pace of testimony and the scope of evidence admitted. Courtroom procedure requires careful sequencing of witness examinations, documentary evidence and legal submissions before closing addresses and jury instructions.
Jurors heard the brief opening statements and began receiving evidence from the Crown on the second day of the trial. The judge will continue to provide legal directions to ensure the jury understands the standards they must apply when weighing conflicting accounts.
The trial enters its next phase as investigators, prosecutors and defence counsel present competing versions of events surrounding the death of Alice Ai. Jurors will be asked to weigh testimony, video evidence and exhibits against the legal standard for second-degree murder before returning a verdict.
