Getaway driver guilty of possessing property from a deceased man

A Manitoba woman accused of being a party to the looting of a dead man’s home has pleaded guilty to having property obtained by crime, a Judge Robert Heinrichs heard on Friday in court in Steinbach.

Ally (Alexandra) Fender, now 21, drove three teenaged friends and a young adult who was 19 years old, to an unoccupied house in Woodridge. The owner had recently died by suicide. Three broke in. Fender has denied being part of the break-in.

The house was a target for break-ins, so neighbours kept a close eye on the property. A nearby resident spotted the teens by the house and reported it, according to Jonathan Mays, Crown attorney.

Police searched Ally’s car and found stolen items including a violin, Nike bag, and MasterCraft drill, in the white Honda Civic.

Ally was the only one that had a car and felt pressured by her friend group wanting to go, court heard.

Ally’s mother, Gina Fender, wrote a letter to court which was read out loud by defence lawyer Gerri Wiebe explaining how they pulled Fender out of high school in Grade 10 during COVID due to risks of bringing the pandemic home from school as her sister is immune compromised.

“During these years she lost all her close friends. Though she did go back to attend classes at Grade 12 she struggled to fit back in,” Gina wrote. “These were three very hard years for her socially and emotionally.”

Greg Fender, Ally’s father, wiped tears away as he watched.

“She was very angry at us and was doing anything she could in 2023 and ‘24 to meet new friends and try to fit into a group,” said Fender’s mother. “She unfortunately found the group that she did. We tried to steer her away from them, but I feel like she didn’t want us to hold her back again.”

Ally claims to have stayed in the car with another co-accused teen and felt uncomfortable, deciding to drive away, until the other teen in the car pleaded for her to turn around because the teen’s boyfriend was in the house.

She drove back to the house; a decision she told court she regrets.

“I wish my hesitation, strong feelings of fear, and knowledge of what is right would have led to different decisions,” said Fender, in court on June 29.

All of the other co-accused were also charged with possession of property by crime and breaking and entering. The then 19-year-old co-accused went into post-plea diversion, and some of the youths were diverted.

She admitted to breaking and entering but the Crown accepted her plea to possession of item obtained by crime to answer for both charges.

Fender received a conditional discharge and a year of unsupervised probation.