Latest news with #BrandonAaron
CTV News
3 days ago
- CTV News
‘My purpose was to survive': Bradford man accused of murder tells jury
Brandon Aaron, 23, denied repeated suggestions by the Crown he was the aggressor when violence broke out between Aaron and David Goddard, 59, whom police described as a hero who stepped in to help Aaron's former girlfriend after she'd been assaulted by Aaron along Holland Street West September 4, 2022. The Bradford, Ont. man accused of murder in the stabbing of a Good Samaritan three years ago completed his testimony saying he did not attack the man prior to killing him. Brandon Aaron, 23, denied repeated suggestions by the Crown he was the aggressor when violence broke out between Aaron and David Goddard, 59, whom police described as a hero who stepped in to help Aaron's former girlfriend after she'd been assaulted by Aaron along Holland Street West September 4, 2022. Aaron was on the witness stand Thursday and Friday, where he disagreed with Crown Attorney Elizabeth Stokes who suggested Aaron became enraged when Good Samaritan David Goddard intervened, and Aaron stabbed Goddard 20 times along the side of the road. David Goddard Cameron David Goddard, 59, is identified as the victim of a homicide on Sept. 4, 2022, in Bradford, Ont. (Supplied) The court heard Goddard bled profusely and died on scene. 'In order to inflict that damage, you stabbed him as hard as you could,' said Stokes. 'I stabbed him as hard as I needed to' replied Aaron 'My purpose was to survive.' The Crown suggested Aaron, already with a knife in hand, got angry when Goddard told him to leave the young woman alone and walk the other way after the young woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban as she was 17 at the time, asked Goddard to walk her home. Aaron testified he was attacked by Goddard, who pushed, punched and choked him after he was knocked on his back on the grass. 'You didn't stab him because you were being choked,' the Crown suggested to Aaron, 'You stabbed him because he got between you and your girlfriend,' she said. Brandon Aaron, Brandon Aaron, 23, is accused of murder in the death of a man police described as a Good Samaritan who intervened when investigators said Aaron was assaulting the young woman in the early morning hours of September 4, 2022. (Court Exhibit) 'He upset you by trying to take her away from you and when he stepped up to you, you went to stab him,' she told Aaron. 'I did not attack him' Aaron responded. The accused said he could not remember the sequence of events or how many times he stabbed Goddard after telling the court he was on his back, reached for his knife from his side bag and stabbed the stranger to break free. The Crown called Aaron's version of events 'impossible' and told Aaron he was aware of how seriously he had wounded the man. 'You do remember exactly where you stabbed him and you're claiming not to remember because it's very bad for you,' said Stokes. Aaron testified seeing Goddard standing upright despite being stabbed several times before he left the scene and walked home through a field to avoid being seen. 'Because you knew that you had stabbed that person over and over,' the Crown told Aaron. 'And that person was probably dead.' Aaron denied becoming increasingly angry with his girlfriend or Goddard when he stepped in. Aaron testified he simply wanted to ensure she got home safely that night. Brandon Aaron Brandon Aaron, 23, denied repeated suggestions by the Crown he was the aggressor when violence broke out between Aaron and David Goddard, 59, whom police described as a hero who stepped in to help Aaron's former girlfriend after she'd been assaulted by Aaron along Holland Street West September 4, 2022. 'I don't know how she got hurt,' he told the court. He remembered she had hurt her wrist or arm but was not clear on what the injury was or how it happened. Instead, Aaron told the jury he was the one assaulted by his girlfriend with a flashlight she had borrowed from a nearby gas station to help her find her missing cell phone she believed Aaron lost earlier that night. Both Aaron and his former girlfriend said they were intoxicated after a night out drinking and partying. Hours after the incident police interviewed the young woman. She told investigators Aaron dragged her by her hair and struck her repeatedly with the flashlight, breaking her forearm. She changed her story during trial when she testified she broke her forearm picking herself up off the ground during an argument with Aaron. She had previously told police Aaron held a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her. Aaron admitted to changing his clothes when he got home. He then conceded he sent several text messages on Instagram to the young woman reciting a version of events that included Aaron telling her he was going to tell police 'It was self defense.' 'I'm going to be gone for a very long time,' one message read. 'I don't care that you told on me.' Aaron was convicted of violating his court-imposed non-communication order with his former girlfriend. He admitted to calling and emailing her for months. The young woman's mother described the relationship between her daughter and Aaron as 'toxic' and 'abusive.' The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Thursday following instructions from Justice Jill Cameron.
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Bradford man accused of stabbing Good Samaritan 20 times takes witness stand
The Bradford, Ont. man accused of second-degree murder of a Good Samaritan and the assault of his teenage girlfriend took the witness stand in his defence. The Bradford, Ont. man accused of second-degree murder of a Good Samaritan and the assault of his teenage girlfriend took the witness stand Thursday in his defence. Brandon Aaron, 23, told the court he 'feared for his life' and stabbed David Goddard, 59, in the early morning hours of September 4, 2022, along Holland Street West in Bradford, when the stranger came up to him and punched and choked him. During examination-in-chief by his lawyer Eugene Bhattacharya, Aaron told the court he was afraid when the older and heavier man approached him in an aggressive manner. Aaron said Goddard began choking him, and when he could feel his eyes closing, he stabbed the man. 'I thought I was going to die. I felt like I had to,' he testified. Aaron told the court he was initially punched and knocked to the ground by Goddard, who straddled him, which resulted in his gold chains leaving marks on his neck before they were ripped apart. Brandon Aaron Court Exhibits Brandon Aaron photographed by the South Simcoe Police Service on Sept. 4, 2022. (Source: Court Exhibit) 'I just got scared,' said Aaron. 'I knew I had my knife. I stabbed him,' Aaron explained to the court. Aaron described swinging his knife as hard as he could to break free from the man he said attacked him. He said as Goddard's grip on his throat loosened he slipped out from under the stranger, before stabbing Goddard again in the back. He could not remember how many times he stabbed Goddard. 'I was in shock,' Aaron said. Aaron, who testified he could not see whether Goddard was bleeding because it was dark out, described seeing blood on his hands before heading home. He told his mother 'something happened' and he'd been attacked. The court has heard Goddard, whom police described as a Good Samaritan, came to the aid of Aaron's then 17-year-old girlfriend that night when she told police he must have heard her screams. She was later taken to hospital for a broken forearm after seeking help at a nearby apartment building. 'I was screaming because of the pain that I was in, that's when the guy heard me and came over,' she told a South Simcoe Police detective about nine hours after the stabbing. Goddard, she told police, offered help after an enraged Aaron beat her with a flashlight she'd borrowed from a nearby gas station to find her missing cell phone that she believed Aaron dropped that night. She told police Aaron pushed and struck her repeatedly and threatened to kill her when he pulled a knife from his side bag. 'He took the flashlight from me and started hitting me with it and then he held a knife to my throat, and he was like 'If killed you right now and left you nobody would find you,'' she said in the final of three police interviews that day. Aaron testified he never hit his girlfriend that night and did not hold a knife to her throat. On the witness stand, Aaron's former girlfriend, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, changed her story dramatically. She testified she didn't tell police the truth when she spoke with detectives and felt 'ambushed.' The defence conceded Aaron sent the young woman a series of Instagram messages between three and five hours after the stabbing, telling her what happened. The Crown suggested Aaron was telling his beaten girlfriend what to tell police. About 10 days later, the young woman returned to police to retract her previous statements to investigators. 'I'm going to be gone for a very long time,' read one of the messages from Aaron. 'im telling them it was self defense. that u were drunk and kept falling so i was kinda carrying you bc you couldn't walk.' 'Can u please just save me ur all I got,' he asked. The messages were discovered by the young woman's mother after her daughter borrowed her phone later that day. Aaron testified his 'mind was not right' when he was sending the messages and disagreed with the Crown's suggestion that he was trying to tell his girlfriend what to tell police happened the night Goddard died. The trial continues Friday with closing arguments expected to begin Wednesday of next week.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
Ex-girlfriend reluctantly testifies in ‘Good Samaritan' murder trial
A now 20-year-old woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban because she was a minor at the time of the incident, took the stand Monday as a reluctant Crown witness in the ongoing murder trial of her former boyfriend. Brandon Aaron, 23, is accused of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of David Goddard, a man police described as a Good Samaritan who intervened when he saw Aaron allegedly assaulting the young woman on Holland Street West in Bradford around 4 a.m. September 4, 2022. Brandon Aaron, Brandon Aaron, 23, is accused of murder in the death of a man police described as a Good Samaritan who intervened when investigators said Aaron was assaulting the young woman in the early morning hours of September 4, 2022. (Court Exhibit) The witness described where she had been with Aaron that night, including a restaurant and the LCBO where Aaron was seen on surveillance video picking up a bottle of alcohol. The woman told the court she and Aaron were drunk when she realized her cell phone was missing, setting off a chain of events that resulted in violence and a man's death. She testified being upset and mad with Aaron, accusing him of losing her phone that night. The young woman testified she made her way to a nearby gas station to borrow a flashlight to continue her search for the phone. The young woman said she became increasingly frustrated with Aaron, whom she said was slurring his words and stumbling around asking her repeatedly to abandon the search for her phone. She said she defiantly sat in the road prompting Aaron to move her. The woman testifies she hit Aaron with the swinging flashlight. Brandon Aaron Brandon Aaron is photographed at the South Simcoe police station on Sept. 4, 2022. (Court Exhibit) The witness said she could not remember how or why she was not holding the flashlight after that or how it ended up on the ground. The court heard the flashlight was found in several pieces near where Goodard died. Eventually the witness said she gave up on the search for her missing phone and while trying to lift herself up - injured her arm. It is at that point the woman said she saw a stranger out of the corner of her eye. She remembered being visibly upset and crying however she testified she was not sure why the man approached her and crossed the street that night. She testified asking the man to call her mother's phone. The man, she said, stopped dialing the number and instead started carrying her toward her mother's nearby home. Seconds later she said Aaron and the man got into a fight after the man angrily said something to her boyfriend. She recalled seeing the man on top of Aaron. She told the court she went to a nearby apartment building for help. Brandon Aaron Brandon Aaron is photographed at the South Simcoe police station on Sept. 4, 2022. (Court Exhibit) 'I was crying. I was upset; I was in pain. I was cold,' she testified. 'I was not thinking of anything other than getting help for my arm.' She told the court she was taken to hospital and then to the police station in Bradford by her mother later that morning. The witness said she could not recall how she got scrapes on her hip. She said she was distressed, intoxicated and in such excruciating pain she could not remember key details of the evening and initially lied to police when giving her statement. She said she did not have the time to properly process what had happened that night. The court heard last week an Instagram account belonging to Aaron appeared to send messages to the young woman hours after the stabbing. Messages appeared to explain what happened that night. The witness' mother testified she discovered the messages on her phone and sent them to police. The young woman admitted she continued speaking with Aaron for months following his arrest and sent him mail that included photos. The six-week trial, now midway through the proceedings, is scheduled to resume Tuesday. Related Articles:
Toronto Sun
26-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Trial told man beat teen girlfriend before Good Samaritan slain
The girl's mom testified of messages sent from the accused's Instagram to her daughter Get the latest from Brad Hunter straight to your inbox Brandon Aaron, 23, is on trial for the fatal stabbing of a Good Samaritan. Photo by South Simcoe Police It started as an alleged domestic battery on the street in Bradford and ended with a Good Samaritan dead. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Now, the 23-year-old man who is accused of stabbing the stranger to death is on trial, charged with second-degree murder. Brandon Aaron of Bradford is also charged with assaulting his teenage girlfriend. Last week, the teen's mother took the stand for the Crown. A publication ban protects her identity and that of her daughter because the girl was under 18 at the time. Good Samaritan David Goddard was murdered in September 2022. SSPS On Sept. 4, 2022, in the early morning hours, the Crown says Aaron was assaulting his girlfriend on Holland St. W. when 'Good Samaritan' David Goddard, 59, intervened. According to CTV News, messages between Aaron and his girlfriend were shown to the court. Her mom explained how the messages ended up on her phone. The mom testified that she discovered the Instagram messages after her daughter borrowed her phone. The teen had lost her own phone hours earlier while out with Aaron. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Starting around 7 a.m., messages began flooding her daughter's Instagram inbox. The mom said that she recognized the social media profile as her daughter's boyfriend. Brandon Aaron before the murder. COURT EXHIBIT His first message read: 'I'm going to be gone for a very long time. I'll turn myself in I just want to hug u.' Aaron's next missive takes a mopey turn, claiming he doesn't care 'that you told on me,' adding 'im sorry i was trying to help u.' He allegedly described the possibility of a minimum sentence of five years. He said he would be unable to 'do' the five years in the slammer without the teen's support. More eye-opening was what the Crown called a narrative of the stabbing. WHERE DAVID GODDARD DIED: COURT EXHIBIT At the beginning of the long message, allegedly written by Aaron, he claims he's going to say the killing was 'self-defence.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'that u were drunk and kept falling so i was kinda carrying you bc you couldn't walk,' he allegedly wrote. The Good Samaritan offered to help the unnamed teen get home and she agreed. The message then adds: 'And you said yeah so he pushed me and when i tried to walk back to you he punched me in the face and i fell then he got ontop and started to choke me. ACCUSED KILLER BRANDON AARON. COURT EXHIBIT 'so i tried punching him in the face but he wouldnt stop so i reached in my sidebag and grabbed a kitchen knife i had and stabbed him 2 times and he got up and still ran at me so i tried to move away but i was drunk and he hit me again so i stabbed him until he wasnt a threat.' He added in the messages that went unanswered: 'can u please just save me ur all I got.' The mother of the girl described the couple's relationship as 'toxic' and 'abusive.' They frequently broke up, then made up, the mom said. Goddard was stabbed 20 times in the torso, back and head when he intervened to protect the teenager, the Crown said. He was found face down on the ground by a police officer on patrol, CTV reported. Another witness testified that the girl showed up at a nearby apartment following the stabbing and appeared 'frightened' and had been crying. She also required medical attention for a broken arm and was taken to the South Simcoe Police station. Aaron surrendered to the cops the next day. The trial continues. bhunter@ @HunterTOSun Ontario Music Sunshine Girls Money News World
CTV News
14-05-2025
- CTV News
Forensics officer testifies in Good Samaritan murder trial
Brandon Aaron is photographed at the South Simcoe police station on Sept. 4, 2022. (Court Exhibit)
