THUNDER BAY — A planned robbery that turned violent led to the death of Adrian Richardson at a Current River apartment nearly three years ago, according to testimony from one of the men involved.
Aiden Collander took the stand in the second-degree murder trial of Telique Ricketts on Wednesday.
Ricketts is being tried by a jury in connection with the shooting death of Richardson at a Hodder Avenue apartment in May, 2022. Collander was called as a Crown witness on Wednesday. Earlier in 2025, he had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with Richardson’s death and is now awaiting sentencing.
Responding to Crown attorney Trevor Jukes’ questioning, Collander testified that, on the night of Richardson’s death, Collander, Ricketts, Jacob Green and Henok Banjaw met up to drink and go clubbing. While at a Victoria Avenue apartment, Collander said Ricketts privately told him he needed money quickly. After brainstorming ideas, and when Collander said Ricketts suggested a robbery, Collander said he replied that he knew several “trap houses” (places where drugs are sold) in town that could be robbed.
All four men were initially charged in 2022 with first degree murder in Richardson’s death.
Court heard that on the night of May 2, 2022, the four drove to Richardson’s apartment with the intent to rob him. Collander said he didn’t know Richardson, only that people in his network at the time told him a trap house was there, and that he hadn’t been there before.
On the way, Ricketts “brandished a gun” when they were both in the back seat, Collander said, which, he added, made him less nervous at the time in case Richardson also had one. Collander said he, Ricketts and Green entered Richardson’s apartment after Ricketts gave Collander the gun to smash in the window to the unit’s outside door. Collander testified he then gave the gun right back to Ricketts.
While the three were searching the apartment, Collander said, he came across Richardson hiding in a closet, who swung at him, perhaps holding something. Collander said he ran out of the room he was in, yelling to the others that someone was there. He ran into the kitchen when he said he heard a gunshot.
The three then fled the apartment, Collander said.
Court heard that Collander and Green have been friends since high school.
Hussein Aly, defence counsel for Ricketts, cross-examined Collander Wednesday afternoon. He brought up previous sex-crime convictions on Collander’s record as well as his role in selling drugs with Green in Thunder Bay — getting Collander to admit it showed a pattern of not caring about the fate of others if it benefitted himself.
“Because that’s your character,” Aly said a number of times throughout his questioning. Collander attributed his behaviour to being a victim of abuse and not having proper coping mechanisms.
Aly also called into question how long Collander had the gun after breaking the window at Richardson’s apartment. He also attempted a number of times to get Collander to say he was the one who shot Richardson, not Ricketts, which Collander consistently denied.
Under cross-examination, Collander also repeatedly denied owning firearms or engaging in violence while selling drugs.
Earlier in the day, court heard from Thunder Bay police Det. Const. Richard Wasilewski, who took statements from both Collander and Green in 2023 and 2024, respectively, about the Richardson killing. The officer told court it wasn’t to advance the investigation — as all four had been charged — but to get a better sense of what happened in Richardson’s apartment that night.
The agreements, among other things, court heard, said that if police and the Crown found their statements to be truthful, they would be considered when making future decisions on charges and bail.
The first-degree murder charges against Collander and Green, who also pleaded guilty to manslaughter, were withdrawn. Green was sentenced in 2024.
During his cross-examination, Aly charged that Collander “beat the murder charge” by conspiring with Green against Ricketts — which Collander denied.
The Crown is scheduled to call more witnesses on Thursday.
