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Kody Giffen, 23, one of two brothers charged in the killing of Kristian Ayoungman of Siksika Nation, has pled guilty to manslaughter. The older brother, Brandon Giffen, will go on trial in 2021.
An agreed statement of facts was read by the prosecutor before Justice Suzanne Bensler accepted the plea, though the statement is not considered evidence in Brandon’s trial.
On March 16, 2019, the victim and accused were both at the King Eddy Pub in Strathmore. It’s alleged Ayoungman sold a pack of cigarettes to Kody Giffen, with a few cigarettes missing. This angered Kody Giffen.
Two groups of people fought. Kody left to get his brother Brandon, who at the time was at home sleeping at his apartment near the pub. Ayoungman and his friends left to drive home; one friend lived in the same building as Brandon, where, in the parking lot, another fight broke out between the two groups.
Brandon is alleged to have gone inside and got a hunting rifle. Ayoungman was confronted and fled with friends in a truck. Brandon and Kody followed, with Kody driving.
At some point the brothers’ vehicle pulled over and Brandon is alleged to have got out to shoot at the fleeing vehicle where Ayoungman was sitting in the back seat. The bullet went through the tailgate into the cab, striking Ayoungman in the chest and killing him.
Sentencing will be set in December.