U of A shooting: Baumgartner ordered not to contact family, G4S employees

Chief Crown prosecutor Steven Bilodeau talks to the media after Travis Baumgartner's first court appearance at the provincial courthouse in Edmonton on June 21, 2012.

EDMONTON - Edmonton’s chief Crown prosecutor will personally handle the case of Travis Baumgartner, who made a brief court appearance Wednesday and was ordered by the court not to have any contact with his parents or former co-workers.

Cuffed, shackled and wearing a blue prison jumpsuit, Baumgartner was in the prisoner’s box for only a minute before he was escorted from the courtroom with his head down and a dour look on his face. He entered no plea.

Baumgartner, 21, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and four counts of robbery with a firearm in connection with the robbery of an armoured car last Friday at HUB Mall on the University of Alberta campus.

Chief Crown prosecutor Steven Bilodeau, who rarely takes on a case personally, said he will prosecute Baumgartner himself because of the case’s high profile.

“It’s not that other homicides aren’t important, it’s that this one here really rocked the community and rocked the whole nation,” he said outside court. “I really want to make sure the community knows we will take this as seriously as possible.”

Bilodeau said homicide investigators have built “a very compelling case” against Baumgartner.

Armoured car guards Michelle Shegelski, 26, Brian Ilesic, 35, and Eddie Rejano, 39, were shot to death while delivering cash to bank machines inside HUB Mall. A fourth guard, Matthew Schuman, remains in hospital in critical condition but is said to be improving. 

Bilodeau gave the court a list of Baumgartner’s family members and witnesses he must not contact. Keith and Sandy Baumgartner, his parents, are on the list. His mother will be a witness in the case, but his father will not. Schuman and any other employees of G4S are also on the no-contact list.

Funeral services will be held this weekend for Rejano and Ilesic.

A statement released on Thursday by Rejano’s family thanked those who have supported the family and sent condolences and prayers to the families of the other victims.

The four victims and Baumgartner were employees of armoured car company G4S Cash Solutions Canada, and were working together at the time of the shootings. 

Defence lawyer Kent Teskey represented Baumgartner, but court records show he has only been retained for the first appearance.

Baumgartner was arrested Saturday at the border crossing near Lynden, Wash., when he tried to cross into the U.S. with $330,000 in cash.

An RCMP aircraft flew him to the City Centre Airport on Wednesday and he was then transferred to the Edmonton Remand Centre, where he is currently being held.

Additional sheriffs were present in the courtroom for Baumgartner’s appearance.

The case is due back in court July 5.