A Quebec man facing a murder charge in a Vancouver shooting death has pleaded not guilty to a restricted firearm possession charge.
Terry Bachtis, 43, was shot in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside last year. Felix Emond Moro, 28, is charged in the August 2024 death and has elected trial by B.C. Supreme Court judge and jury.
He also faces a February 2024 weapons charge. That charge is in connection with a situation where a separate accused on the same sworn court information also faces multiple firearm and drug charges.
Vancouver Provincial Court Judge Katherine Denhoff heard on Wednesday that case goes to a pre-trial conference March 20.
The court murder information was sworn Oct. 10, 2024.
Appearing for Emond Moro’s lawyer Glen Orris, an articling student told Denhoff the defence continues to receive disclosure on the murder allegations and needs to review it with Emond Moro.
He will be arraigned on that charge once disclosure review is complete, possibly on March 26.
The firearm charge in which Jean-Michel Babineau is also named was sworn Dec. 13, 2024.
The shooting
Vancouver Police Department officers were called early in the day on Aug. 29, 2024 to East Cordova and Carrall streets, where they found Bachtis.
Despite attempts by first responders to save his life, the victim died before he could be taken to hospital.
The investigation led to the Oct. 9 arrest of Emond Moro. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder.
Emond Moro has had a bail hearing in B.C. Supreme Court and remains in custody.
The Babineau charges
Babineau faces seven charges, all alleged to have occurred on Feb. 3.
First, he is charged with possessing a loaded restricted or prohibited .22-calibre Long Rifle pistol without authorization or registration.
He is also charged with possessing a firearm noise suppressor without a licence.
Then, he is alleged to have possessed a high-capacity magazine capable of holding more than 10 cartridges for a semi-automatic handgun.
He faces further charges that he possessed cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and benzodiazepine for the purpose of trafficking.
Acting for Babineau’s defence lawyer Mark Swartz, the articling student entered not guilty pleas and elected trial before a provincial court judge.
