David Muir has been convicted of 13 charges related to a series of armed robberies in Waterloo in 2010.
The charges stemmed from three robberies and one attempted robbery on December 27, 2012 in the area of University Avenue and Weber Street.
A suspect wearing dark clothing with a bandana over his face robbed people near ATMs over the course of about 15 minutes.
There had been concern about the evidence in the case, but in delivering a verdict the judge said they could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty.
A number of pieces of circumstantial evidence are being credited with the conviction:
- Similarities in the descriptions of the suspect and the clothes worn by Muir at the time.
- Matching of the striped pattern of the suspect’s coat as seen on surveillance video and Muir’s coat.
- Muir’s close proximity to the events and flight from police.
- $540 in crumpled currency was found on Muir, close to the $610 reported missing.
- A pellet gun and bandana were found near the area where Muir was arrested.
Despite all the evidence Muir’s DNA was not found on the pellet gun and bandana found by a police K-9 unit and none of the victims could identify him.
Muir’s attorney Brad Burgess says “Well obviously he’s upset as I said it’s not the outcome we were hoping for…it seems clear what the trial judge did was not concentrate on specific pieces of evidence but the evidence as a whole which is what he’s supposed to do.”
Muir had pleaded not guilty to all 13 charges.
He is set to be sentenced on January 11, and Burgess says he expects the Crown will ask for an eight to ten year sentence.
