**Portions of the content in this article may be distressing and traumatizing for some people.**
CANMORE – A preliminary hearing for a 23-year-old man charged with second-degree murder in the death of a lifelong Banff resident was held in Canmore provincial court Monday (July 17).
John-Christopher Arrizza was in provincial court for charges related to the death of 26-year-old Ethan Enns-Goneau, who was killed Aug. 5, 2022, at Dancing Sasquatch in Banff when he was stabbed multiple times in the bathroom after having just arrived at the bar with a friend.
The preliminary hearing went for slightly more than five-and-a-half hours and featured testimony from five witnesses – four in person and one via video – with a full courtroom of roughly 25 family and friends of Enns-Goneau.
“Ethan lit a room up with his smile. He was always smiling,” said Bunny Julius, owner of Melissa’s Missteak, where Enns-Goneau worked for 13 years, in an August 2022 interview with the outlook. “The only time you’d ever see him not smile was for three minutes if the [Winnipeg] Jets or [Toronto] Raptors lost and every other time, he was happy-go-lucky.
“He loved the mountains, loved his job. He was always smiling at work. He worked for me for half his life. He was a pleasant person to be around at all times. … An electrifying person when entering a room. He brought every room up when he entered.”
Crown attorney Patrick Bigg and Arrizza’s defence lawyer Katherin Beyak agreed to a Section 539 publication ban, which prevents the publication of any evidence provided at a preliminary hearing under the Criminal Code of Canada.
The ban, which is common practice across Canadian courts, is in place until a trial begins to ensure an accused receives a fair trial from impartial jurors and evidence isn’t prejudged.
A preliminary hearing is often held in serious criminal matters, with the intent being for the court to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to a trial. The hearing was overseen by Justice Marian De Souza.
Arrizza, who remains in the Calgary Remand Centre, will return to Court of King’s Bench in Calgary in September.
Arrizza appeared in person with short hair compared to the more than a foot of hair he had when charged and wore a grey suit with a white dress shirt and black pants. His bright orange running shoes were noticeable due to his leg cuffs.
Throughout the hearing, Arrizza rarely looked at the gallery and was often seen looking at the ground in silence.
At times he looked at the four people present who gave testimony and watched parts of the video for the person giving remote testimony, but he otherwise would occasionally glance at the courtroom ceiling before looking down to the floor.
There were multiple points throughout the hearing where testimony elicited heavy emotion from the gallery.
Multiple sources have previously told the Outlook Arrizza – from Thornton, Ontario – had only arrived in Banff two months prior to Enns-Goneau's death and worked in the service industry. He had no prior contact with Enns-Goneau, according to multiple sources.
Arrizza and his legal representation made 13 appearances between Aug. 11, 2022, and Feb. 15, 2023, prior to the preliminary hearing being set.
Enns-Goneau was well-known in the community for his calm and friendly demeanour as well as a sports participant in rugby, minor hockey and soccer. He was a long-time worker in the service sector.
The Banff Bears men’s rugby team have a pink patch with a heart and EEG etched into their uniforms this season to remember Enns-Goneau, who was a frequent attendee of rugby games.
A GoFundMe set up shortly after his death raised just under $82,000, smashing its $4,000 goal.
“The Town of Banff lost the most incredible human being that positively affected every single person in this town,” the GoFundMe page stated.
“He was the most incredible human with a smile and personality that lit up every room he walked into. We love you Ethan and Banff will never be the same. Rest in peace.”
A vigil was held Aug. 6, 2022 as well as a support session held at the Town of Banff’s council chambers, with a memorial on display for several days on Banff Avenue sidewalk just outside the Dancing Sasquatch.
A celebration of Enns-Goneau’s life had several hundred people attend Melissa’s Missteak on Aug. 19, 2022, which was also livestreamed due to overwhelming demand to attend. At the celebration of life, several people wore Hawaiian shirts, which Enns-Goneau often wore.
Arrizza was charged with second-degree murder Aug. 6 after he had been taken into custody Aug. 5.
He made a first appearance at Canmore provincial court Aug. 10 via CCTV and has been held in the Calgary Remand Centre since his detainment.
Arrizza had previously been barred from Melissa’s Missteak after alleged online comments he made towards women who were known to staff at the business, Julius told the Outlook last August.
Following the stabbings, staff from the Dancing Sasquatch performed CPR, while Enns-Goneau’s friend raced to the Mount Royal Hotel to get the defibrillator and assist with CPR.
Police, paramedics and Banff Fire Rescue responded at about 1:30 a.m. and took Enns-Goneau to Banff Mineral Springs Hospital where he died.
Enns-Goneau’s death was the first of two last summer in Banff leading to second-degree murder charges.
A 27-year-old Foothills County man, Ryden William Brogden, was stabbed Sept. 3, 2022, by a then 20-year-old British Columbia man, John Sproule, outside on Banff Avenue near the Dancing Sasquatch.
Sproule is also facing a second-degree murder charge and has a preliminary inquiry set for September.
The two murders were the first in the mountain community since May 17, 1990 when cab driver Lucie Turmel was stabbed by 18-year-old Ryan Jason Love for her earnings that night, which were $130.
For people in need of support, Banff Mineral Springs Hospital offers mental health services daily between 2 and 9 p.m. The emergency room is also available for support.
People can also contact Bow Valley Victim Services at 403-760-0197 and 2-1-1 can connect people to mental health or counselling support.
