'This wasn't supposed to happen': Co-accused testifies in Hay River murder trial

A Yellowknife jury heard more on Friday about a call Levi Cayen allegedly made to police the night he was accused of killing a Hay River manfive years ago.

Cayen is on trial for first degree murder in connection with the death of 25-year-old Alex Norwegian, who was found frozen in his vehicle on Sandy Creek Road with his windows smashed out.

On Friday, the court heard from Levi's 29-year-old cousin, Sasha Cayen, who gave her version of what happened on Dec. 27, 2017.

In early 2019, she pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Norwegian's death, was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison. She has since been released from custody.

Sasha testified that within 10 minutes of returning from robbing Alex Norwegian on a secluded road on the K'atl'odeeche Reserve, Levi Cayen left to call the police from a payphone at The Rooster convenience store in Hay River.

She said Cayen told her he and James Thomas left Norwegian "beat up pretty badly" and that he was worried about "leaving him out there" but didn't want to use his cellphone to report Norwegian as a drunk driver out on the secluded road.

Norwegian's frozen body wouldn't be found by a passer-by until more than a day later.

It's unclear why police didn't respond to the alleged call, or if they even received it.

'I don't remember': key witness says memories faded

Over two days of testimony, Sasha Cayenbecame hostile at times with Crown prosecutor Duane Praught, raising her voice when she couldn't remember specific details about the night Norwegian was killed.

"You guys are asking me to remember something from five years ago," Sasha Cayen yelled in responseto questions from the Crown.

"I was half-cut. I don't remember!"

She told the court that she was a daily-user of crack cocaine and was on a multi-day drug and alcohol binge in late December 2017.

On Dec, 26th, 2017, Sasha Cayen said she was at James Thomas's house. In the late afternoon she texted Alex Norwegian to see if he had any crack cocaine she could buy.

The two arranged to meet on a secluded road known as the Portage where she believed Norwegian was "hiding out" from the police because of a warrant out for his arrest. She said Thomas drove her to pick up the drugs.

Approximately an hour later, Sasha Cayen said she received another text message from Norwegian asking for help getting his car out of a snowbank. She said she, Tyler Cayen and Thomas drove and towed him out and in payment Norwegian gave her $10 and "a piece" of crack cocaine.

She told the court that after Norwegian drove away, the group returned to Thomas's house.

A few hours later, Levi Cayen came over with a large bottle of vodka, she said.

"This wasn't supposed to happen"

Sasha said later in the night, Norwegian texted her asking if she had any alcohol.

She said Thomas asked her how much money or drugs Norwegian had on him.

It was then, she said, that Thomas told the group that they should rob Norwegian.

Sasha said Levi was the only one willing to go with Thomas and the two left on a skidoo, but she couldn't recall if they brought anything with them.

Sasha said she became worried an hour and a half later when Thomas and Levi hadn't returned. She texted Norwegian to make sure he was ok but never heard back.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," she sobbed as she pulled her hoodie over her face.

Bloody clothing allegedly burned

When Levi Cayen and Thomas returned, Sasha said Thomas handed Tyler Cayen a black suitcase that contained his clothes and a tablet. She said Thomas told Tyler to start a fire and burn them because they "had blood on them".

Sasha said that's when Levi left to call the police.

She said Thomas and Tyler left to find a drug stash Norwegian allegedly hid on Lagoon Road. She said the two didn't come back to the house for approximately three hours.

During cross-examination, Sasha told the court that after finding out about Norwegian's death, Thomas told her to lie about what transpired that night.

She said he told her to destroy her cell phone's SIM card but she refused. Her text message logs have been entered into evidence.

Mid-afternoon on Friday, Sasha once again told the court she was feeling ill and needed a break.

Her cross examination continues Monday.