SUDBURY—The deadly consequences of a turf war over the drug trade in M’Chigeeng First Nation unfolded in the early hours of April 5, 2022, leaving Brandon Brooks, 30, of Toronto, dead. Testimony at the ongoing first-degree murder trial of Prince Almando Graham, 39, of North York, has shed light on the harrowing series of events.
Assistant Crown attorney Cecilia Bouzane, in her opening address on January 16, 2025, told the Sudbury Courthouse jury: “To the eyes of the drug dealers, M’Chigeeng was a highly profitable area to do business. Prince Graham was a drug dealer. He made it known to the people of M’Chigeeng (that) he would possess the reserve. This was his turf.”
April 4, 2022: Graham’s Alleged Plan
According to the Crown, Graham orchestrated an operation to eliminate competition in M’Chigeeng. Five men travelled to the area in a Toyota Rav-4, armed with masks, two handguns and a knife. The group confronted Robbie Edwards, a local drug dealer, demanding payment and forcing him to identify drug houses in the community, including the home of Jane Migwans on Pine Street, where Mr. Brooks was staying.
April 5, 2022, 1:20 am: Violent Home Invasion
Four masked men broke into Ms. Migwans’ residence, storming the rear bedroom where Mr. Brooks was sleeping. Mr. Brooks was beaten, kicked and ultimately shot in the abdomen. The attackers instructed Ms. Migwans at gunpoint to stay inside, lock the door and not contact police.
Crown Bouzane described the invasion as “brutal and violent,” adding that the intruders took Mr. Brooks’ phone, the only functioning phone in the home.
Primary care paramedic Matthew Mahoney, testifying on the trial’s first day, recalled responding to the emergency call at 1:25 am. Upon entering the residence, Mr. Mahoney found Mr. Brooks lying on his side with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
“He was still making noises, but not able to talk, could not follow instructions,” Mr. Mahoney testified. Despite repeated resuscitation efforts during transport to the hospital in Little Current, Mr. Brooks was pronounced dead.
Police stopped the Rav-4 before it could leave Manitoulin Island, arresting the five occupants. Officers recovered two Glock handguns and other evidence, including a torn-up hand-drawn map showing Ms. Migwans’ address, masks, knives, Brooks’ cellphone and $1,565 in cash.
Mr. Graham has been in custody since March 15, 2023. Crown Bouzane alleges he arranged the attack as part of a turf war. Six other men were charged alongside Mr. Graham but will be dealt with separately.
Ms. Migwans, the key witness, passed away in September 2024, but her video statements and testimony from prior proceedings have been presented in court.
In an April 5, 2022 audio statement to Const. Mike Souliere of the United Chiefs and Councils of Manitoulin (UCCM) Anishnaabe Police Service, Ms. Migwans said, “Two guys were at the side door. I thought it was my brother. They just attacked me.”
She described the intruders as Black men, “all skinny, about 5-foot high,” and said they demanded, “Where is the poison?” before shooting Mr. Brooks.
During cross-examination on January 20, defence lawyer Susan Von Achten challenged Constable Souliere on the limited scope of his questioning, to which he responded: “This was a quick statement at the time to get a few facts of what transpired at the residence. This wasn’t going to be a full, one- or two-hour statement.”
April 13, 2022: Fear and Reticence
Det. Sgt. Jason Winser, who conducted a videotaped interview with Ms. Migwans eight days after the shooting, testified on January 21, 2025, that Migwans may have withheld information out of fear of retaliation.
“She went through a traumatic event. She was in the drug subculture. She is aware of what happens to people who provide information (to police),” Det. Sgt. Winser said.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Kona Williams testified that Mr. Brooks died from a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. The bullet damaged vital organs, including his stomach and spinal cord, causing massive internal bleeding.
“The cause of death, in this particular case, my particular diagnosis, was a gunshot wound to the abdomen and injuries as they related to the gunshot wound,” Dr. Williams told the court.
Evidence Presented: January 26, 2025
Const. James Walback detailed the recovery of two Glock handguns, a black-handled knife, and other items from the Rav-4. The jury also saw the torn map marking Ms. Migwans’ residence.
“The map was hand-drawn … It made an eight-and-a-half by 11-inch sheet of paper with the word ‘here’ on it,” Const. Walback testified.
The trial of Graham reinforces the devastating impact of organized crime in vulnerable communities. Assistant Crown attorney Bouzane summarized the case as a calculated act of violence in the ongoing turf war for control over M’Chigeeng’s drug trade.
The proceedings continue for another five weeks, with six other defendants awaiting their trials.