Murder trial: Victim left to conclude out-of-court settlement on the day he disappeared

John Dillon Brown wanted to sue Campbell River’s Voodoo Lounge after a fight with several men at the night club put him in hospital with a number of injuries.

Brown was found murdered in the trunk of his Honda Accord north of Campbell River near Sayward on March 12, 2016. Richard Ernest Alexander, former president of the Campbell River-based Devils Army Motorcycle Club, is charged with first-degree murder in Brown’s death on March 11, 2016. Alexander has pleaded not guilty in the trial being held in B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria.

Brown’s girlfriend Nicole Herman was on the stand again Wednesday after testifying the day before about the injuries Brown received as a result of a fight with bikers at the Voodoo Lounge in November 2015. Brown began trying to gather witnesses and evidence to launch a lawsuit against the Voodoo Lounge.

Brown was contacted by someone to talk about settling his case out of court. Brown and his cousin met with the caller in January 2016, Herman told the court. He told Herman that he had met with a man that he called Ricky, the name Alexander goes by. The court was told that Brown was expecting an out-of-court settlement of $11,000.

On March 10, Brown returned to Campbell River for another meeting regarding the settlement and Herman testified that Brown appeared relaxed and comfortable with the situation and upcoming meeting.

Herman was then asked to consider the events of the following day, the day Brown was to go missing. She was unable to continue and a court break was called to allow Herman to compose herself.

Brown spent time with the couple’s son awaiting his meeting time, Herman testified after a break. Then around 12:30-1 p.m., Herman heard Brown say goodbye to his son, “I love you, I’ll see you in a little bit.”

“Then I heard the door close and that was the last time I saw him,” she said, her voice faltering.

After a while she attempted to text him a few times and even went out looking for him. She checked the hospital and police station to see if he was there. She eventually reported him missing to the police March 12 at 7 p.m. The police informed her at 8 p.m. that they had found Brown’s Honda Accord. It wasn’t until the next day, a Sunday, that Herman was informed that Brown was dead.

Also taking the stand on April 21 was former Voodoo Lounge co-owner Michael Behm who told the court that the dance night club had a mixed clientele that often included members of the Devil’s Army Motorcycle Club. Behm said he knew Alexander and they had some discussion about Devil’s Army members having to stop wearing their badges and insignia in the club in order for the lounge to comply with provincial regulations. Alexander was unhappy with those instructions and club members stopped going to the Voodoo Lounge.

Brown contacted Behm to obtain a video of the fight in the club he was involved in in order to use it in his lawsuit. Behm was not in town the night of the fight and provided Brown with a copy of the video.

Behm told the court he was not aware of Brown’s suit against the lounge until police interviewed him after Brown’s death.

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