Lucas Shortreed remembered as 'happy outgoing kid' by friend
In the decade and a half since Lucas Shortreed was killed in a hit and run, Jesse Matthews says he never lost hope someone would be charged in his friends death.
“I didn’t think it would take this long actually,” Matthews said on Friday, two days after police made arrests in the 14-year-old case.
Matthews said he was close friends with Shortreed and that the pair often spent time at each other houses bonding over drinks and sharing their love of fishing.
They met through Matthews’ younger brother in 2003.
“We hit it off right at the get go, we had a lot in common,” Matthews said.
The memories they shared still weigh heavy on his mind.
“My brother would always bring him over to the house,” Matthews said. “He was a happy outgoing kid, full of laughter and he just had a lot of opportunities that he missed out on.”
On Oct. 10, 2008, Shortreed was walking home from a party around midnight when he was killed in a hit and run near the community of Alma.
Matthews said he was at that party too.
“I got dragged [there], Lucas was like ‘come out,’” he recalls.
Even 14 years later, Matthews said he’s haunted by that night and how his friend’s death could have been prevented.
“We had a ride for him. He got all mad and didn’t want the ride and thought he’d walk it off and walk home. Stuff would have changed if he’d took that ride,” he said.
Matthews said he often drives past the spot where Shortreed was killed and still feels overwhelmed.
“It’s heartbreaking. You try to block it off as much as you can.”
Dave Halliburton, 55, is charged with failing to stop at the scene of an accident involving bodily harm and obstructing justice.
Anastasia Halliburton, 53, is charged with accessory after the fact and obstructing justice.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. David and Anastasia Hallibuton were released on bail Thursday. Their next court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 25.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.