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Matthew Hoover, 21, was shot on August 7th, 2004. He died on August 22nd.

Billy James Jardine, 24, was charged with first-degree murder.

A car chase in west Edmonton involving vehicles carrying members of rival groups ended in the shooting death of one of the drivers.

Just before 2 a.m. on August 7th, 2004 a pickup truck and Ford Explorer were weaving in and out of traffic on 170th Street between St. Albert and Edmonton.

A 21-year-old man driving the pickup truck was shot at several times by someone in the Explorer.

The driver, Matthew Hoover, was driven to the Sturgeon General Hospital and admitted with a gunshot wound to the back.

The Edmonton police gang unit was called in and they questioned the man who drove the wounded driver to hospital. They later put out a Canada-wide arrest warrant for Billy James Jardine, describing him as "armed and dangerous."

Officers arrested Jardine a day later without incident after watching a west-end residence. Another 22-year-old man was taken into custody but was not charged.

A police spokesman said no weapons were recovered but officers did find an abandoned Ford Explorer in the Capilano area.

On August 22nd Hoover died of complications from a single gunshot wound. Investigators determined Hoover had no gang or drug connections and a source close to the story said "he was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong passenger."

Jardine appeared in court the next day and was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Edmonton's 18th homicide of 2004. The charge was later reduced to manslaughter.

In October, 2005 Jardine pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter for helping the shooter leave the scene of the crime.

The Crown admitted there was no evidence to prove that Jardine, the Explorer's driver, knew his passenger had a gun or was going to shoot at Hoover.

On January 20th, 2006 Jardine was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Terrance Clackson agreed to a joint recommendation by lawyers for the 18-month term.

"To date, no one has been charged in the shooting," Crown prosecutor Ashley Finlayson said later outside court. "The gun in question has not been recovered."

Justice Clackson said it was aggravating that Jardine did not co-operate with police to identify the shooter.

Defence lawyer Chady Moustarah said his client was concerned for his personal safety.

"It's a very dangerous game they play," he said.

Moustarah described Jardine as "a nice guy who just got involved with the wrong people.

"He's very sorry for what he's done. All he wants to do is pay his dues to society."

The murder of Matthew Hoover took place during a spate of St. Albert shootings that RCMP later said were likely related to each other and definitely connected to the drug trade.

On August 6th, 2004 – the day before Hoover was shot – a gun was pointed at a man in his 20s on a street in the Grandin area of St. Albert.

Police suspected a group of people had met for a drug sale. The victim was not directly involved with the suspected sale, RCMP Const. Jim Derouin said.

St. Albert RCMP issued an arrest warrant for Sean David Critch of Edmonton. Critch faced charges pointing a firearm, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public.

(Critch was scooped up on November 28th, 2006 during a massive RCMP drug bust that also netted several members of the Hells Angels. Critch was charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds obtained by crime, and possession of marijuana. Seventeen others were also charged with similar offences.)

On August 8th, 2004 gunshots were fired in the parking lot of the Hebert Road Tim Horton's restaurant. At 1:15 a.m., a dark grey Grand Cherokee SUV pulled into the lot and two passengers climbed out of the vehicle.

Police said one of the men fired shots from a handgun into a Pontiac Grand Prix and fired at least one shot at the restaurant. The two men then climbed back into their car and fled. No one was injured during the shooting.

One man was described as a Caucasian male, the other as a non-white male with a medium to dark complexion.

"We believe all three incidents do have some connection," Const. Derouin said. "We're not really sure what those connections are yet."

Derouin said RCMP were concerned about more incidents taking place as a result of the shootings.

"It seems these types of things have a snowball effect," he said. "Revenge is a factor. There's definitely a likelihood of similar incidents taking place.

"We've been very vigilant with our patrols, with the people that we know who could possibly be able to retaliate, and are keeping a close eye on the situation.

"We believe there is a relationship between the shootings," Derouin added. "We believe at least one person was involved in both [non-Hoover] shootings."

RCMP speculated the Tim Horton's attack was in retaliation for the Hoover shooting.

Matthew Hoover was described as a goodhearted, outgoing young man who was loved by all who knew him.

Eric Thomson, whose daughter-in-law is Hoover's sister, first met Matthew when he helped out at Thomson's hockey shooting cage at West Edmonton Mall.

"I went home that night and told my wife, 'I wish I could clone that guy,' " Thomson said. "He was always so helpful. He made everyone around him smile."

Immediately after Matthew died, Thomson said his family was in a state of shock.

"They're pretty distraught right now," he said. "He really fought for his life those last few weeks. But his wounds were pretty bad.

"It's a terrible tragedy."

In September 2007, with no new developments in the case, the Hoover family launched a Facebook group titled Still Waiting For Justice.

The social networking site serves as a place to honour a remember a life cut short, and to perhaps stir the conscience of those who know the identity of the person who pulled the trigger on an August night in 2004.

At last word, police were still waiting for one phone call.

Those with information about Matthew Hoover's death are asked to contact Edmonton police at 780-423-4567, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or online at www.tipsubmit.com

Tips can also be text messaged. In Edmonton, text TIP250 + message and send to CRIMES (274637). In Northern Alberta, text TIP205 + message and send to CRIMES (274637).

deadmonton 2004 - matthew hoover