Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - June 28, 2012, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A4 A 4 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012 TOP NEWS winnipegfreepress. com passages. winnipegfreepress. com Manitoba's Largest In Memoriam and Obituary Website Mention this ad and receive $ 500 off a LaserCap T hair treatment system. 204.956.7709 Motorino quality at great prices. www. e- ridewinnipeg. ca . 2011 XPR $ 1,500 ( reg. $ 2,200) . 2010 XPV $ 1,200 ( reg. $ 2,050) . 2009 XPA $ 980 ( used) . 2006 Vespa $ 2,400 ( gas) and other demonstrators Sale times: Thursday evening 5- 9, Fri. 9- 9, Sat. 9- 5, Sun. 12- 5 Showroom: 8382 Wilkes Avenue Motorino E L E C T R I C S C O O T E R S Demonstrator Clearance For details visit: 837- 8748 T HE sobbing ex- boyfriend who held Kaila Tran's hand as she lay dying has been charged with murder as part of what police say was a hired hit on the 27- year- old woman. Tran's former boyfriend, Drake David Moslenko, 27, and Treyvonne Anthony Warner Willis, 20, a friend of Moslenko and Tran, have both been charged with first- degree murder in the June 20 slaying. Tran died from the injuries she suffered after being attacked and stabbed at about 7 a. m. while on her way to her vehicle, which was parked near her Clayton Drive apartment in St. Vital. The young woman's screams alerted neighbours, who witnessed the attack. Several ran out of their apartments in a bid to help Tran, and one chased her attacker on his bicycle until he disappeared near the Seine River. Winnipeg police Const. Jason Michalyshen said Moslenko and Tran had been a couple for four years but split up recently. " The two had recently agreed to split and as a result. a dispute did erupt," he said. Moslenko was at the scene following the attack on Tran, sobbing and holding her hand as she lay on the ground bleeding. Michalyshen said a witness came forward to allege Moslenko approached Willis and offered to pay him cash if he agreed to kill Tran. Michalyshen said Moslenko and Willis were not involved in the local gang community but were known to be involved in illicit drugs. Moslenko is a former amateur baseball star and a budding rap artist who was involved in nightclub security. Moslenko pleaded guilty in 2010 to his involvement in a robbery at the Travelodge on Alpine Avenue, where he also worked. Court records show he helped engineer the plan in which another employee turned over more than $ 5,600 in cash from the hotel bar to another co- accused but claimed she'd been robbed. He was given a three- month conditional sentence and probation. Court was told Moslenko came from a tight- knit family, had graduated from Glenlawn Collegiate, and had attended Minot State University. Willis had no prior convictions but faced drug- related and breach- of- bail charges when it's alleged he killed Tran. Willis was charged Feb. 14 in The Pas with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, and was released on bail. He was charged April 4 with breaching bail conditions by failing to report to his bail supervisor, and again released on bail. He was charged a third time, June 12, with several more breaches of bail conditions and four Highway Traffic Act offences. Again, he was released on bail. The police underwater search- andrecovery unit searched the Seine River near the attack scene and recovered the weapon investigators say was used in the attack. Michalyshen said murder- for- hire plots are rare but police are convinced it's what led to Tran's death. " The unique component of this ( investigation) is just that," Michalyshen said. " It is unfortunate and incredibly tragic for Kaila and her family. as to how things escalated to the point where an individual would go to these lengths." Michalyshen said investigators do not believe other individuals were involved in the scheme but added the case remains under investigation. - with files from Mike McIntyre aldo. santin@ freepress. mb. ca FAMILY and friends of Kaila Tran are reeling after learning the young woman's ex- boyfriend is charged with paying someone to kill her. Lindsay Stockburn said he met Tran and her former boyfriend, Drake Moslenko, when the three of them worked at the Blush Ultra nightclub. Stockburn, a veteran bouncer, said Tran had no enemies. " All of us are really shocked and angered at this moment," Stockburn said in an email exchange with the Free Press . " Many of the bouncers, including myself, are angered." A memorial service planned for Friday morning at Pantages Playhouse has been cancelled and will be rescheduled. A family spokeswoman said Tran's family is too distraught to talk about her slaying. Organizers of a July 1 celebration of Tran's life at the Area nightclub on Pembina Highway said the Sunday night event will go ahead as planned. It's a fundraising event to help Tran's family cover funeral costs. " You were taken from us way too soon, but no matter who you were to us, a friend, sister, best friend, niece, cousin, aunt, teammate or co- worker we will always have the best memories of you," states the message on a Facebook page dedicated to Tran. Alma Omeragic said many of Tran's friends weren't shocked by Moslenko's arrest. " From everyone I talked to, no one is surprised," Omeragic said. Moslenko lived the fast life in the club scene and Omeragic said some of Tran's friends disliked him from the start. " What can you do when people are in a relationship?" she asked. " It's a pretty sad thing." Omeragic said the Sunday night fundraiser is intended to celebrate Tran's life in a way she would have liked. " She would have wanted people to celebrate her, not mourn her," Omeragic said. " We're not going to allow ( Moslenko) to ruin Kaila's memory or her celebration," Stockburn added. aldo. santin@ freepress. mb. ca Sobbing ex charged with murder plot Couple recently split, was locked in dispute: police By Aldo Santin Tran's friends angry, disliked accused killer By Aldo Santin FACEBOOK Drake Moslenko is charged with hiring a friend, Treyvonne Willis, to kill his ex- girlfriend, Kaila Tran, on June 20. A_ 04_ Jun- 28- 12_ FP_ 01. indd A4 6/ 27/ 12 8: 24: 59 PM ;