The man now wanted for the murder of 18-year-old O’Chiese First Nation resident Travis Strawberry is on the run and being sought by the RCMP. Critics argue this is yet another example of a broken justice system that allows violent offenders back on the street to commit more crimes.
Twenty-seven-year-old Derrick Phazar Whitford, from the O’Chiese First Nation, has a long history of violent behavior and criminal charges. Compiling his extensive list of charges, warrants and history of crime has proven challenging. Whitford is currently wanted for second-degree murder and is also being sought for unrelated offences, including breach of probation, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight from a peace officer, robbery, and firearm offences.
A Trail of Violent Crime Tracked back to Mayerthorpe
Court records show that Whitford appeared in court on September 26, 2024, facing charges related to an incident in the Mayerthorpe and Sangudo areas in July 2023. At that time, Whitford pleaded guilty to one count of pointing a firearm at another person and three counts of failing to comply with conditions. He initially faced charges of possessing a dangerous weapon, possessing a prohibited weapon, obstructing an officer, and mischief, according to court records. There is no record to explain why he was not held accountable for having a hand gun in Canada despite having had numerous charges previously that demonstrated his violent nature.
Crown counsel Alicia Wendel informed the court that on July 23, 2023, the Mayerthorpe RCMP received a complaint about Whitford being at a property where he had been asked to leave. Whitford was seen pointing a handgun at two individuals before fleeing the scene in a black Honda Civic. Police later found the car south of Sangudo but determined Whitford had fled on foot. Since the firearm was not recovered, police believed Whitford still had it in his possession. A dog unit was deployed but was unable to locate Whitford or the gun.
Stand Off in Red Deer
Fast forward to November 2023, and Whitford once again is in trouble with RCMP and was arrested following a standoff with police at a Red Deer apartment building where police were forced to use their Tactical team to assist in the situation. The story made provincial news as residents were instructed to stay in their homes while the suspect was apprehended.
Whitford was eventually taken into custody where he faced additional charges, including:
- Assault causing bodily harm
- Assault
- Failure to appear for court (x3)
- Mischief
This is in addition to the charges from Mayerthorpe, as well as warrants for crimes committed in Rocky Mountain House and Edmonton. The three Mayerthorpe charges of failure to comply with orders were for violating a no-contact order and an order prohibiting the possession of weapons, according to the court.
The accused remained in custody where he made his Zoom call appearance from a detention center facing the charges in the Mayerthorpe courtroom.
Upon initial investigation, RCMP determined that the suspect was a known offender with multiple warrant for serious violent offences. Statement from Red Deer police regarding the stand off with Whitford on November 22, 2023.
A Day in Court and the Mayerthorpe Sentencing
When Derrick Whitford appeared before the court in Mayerthorpe, the Crown and Lawyer for the defendant has already determined his fate. For the charge of pointing a firearm, the prosecution requested a sentence of 375 days and a five-year ban on Whitford owning weapons. Additionally, the prosecution sought a 90-day jail sentence for the first non-compliance conviction to run consecutively with the initial sentence.
“There must be deterrence and denunciation,” Wendel stated during the trial, which was presided over by Justice Jeffrey B. Champion.
For the remaining two counts, Wendel requested concurrent sentences, bringing the total proposed sentence to 465 days. Since Whitford already had served 310 days in custody, he only faced a maximum 155 more days behind bars.
Whitford’s attorney, Robert Kassian, told reporters that “It is a significant sentence” for his client,
Kassian argued that Gladue factors should be considered for Whitford, who is from the O’Chiese First Nation. He attributed Whitford’s troubled history to addictions to drugs and alcohol, as well as the impact of his grandparents being residential school survivors.
On February 2, the RCMP issued a public “Wanted Person” notice for Derrick Whitford, also known as Sunny, Sonny, Derrick Dumais, and Derrick Whitford Dumais. Notably, the poster did not disclose the crimes for which Whitford was wanted.
There is no public record indicating how many additional days Whitford served following the Mayerthorpe sentencing or why he was not in prison, allowing him to commit another crime in November of the same year, despite facing numerous violent and serious charges from incidents in Edmonton, Red Deer, and Rocky Mountain House.
Timeline of Events:
- July 2023 – Mayerthorpe: The RCMP received a complaint about a trespasser. Before they arrived, Whitford was seen pointing a handgun at two people before fleeing in a black Honda Civic. The RCMP recovered the vehicle in Sangudo but failed to locate Whitford or the weapon.
- November 22, 2023 – Red Deer: The RCMP Emergency Response Team took Whitford into custody after a standoff. He was wanted on numerous warrants related to incidents in Rocky Mountain House, Edmonton, and Mayerthorpe.
- May 29, 2024 – Red Deer: The Crown withdrew four charges against Whitford stemming from the Red Deer apartment incident, citing insufficient evidence to obtain a conviction.
- September 26, 2024 – Mayerthorpe: Justice Jeffrey B. Champion accepted Whitford’s guilty plea and the agreed-upon sentence of 465 days, of which 310 had already been served in custody.
- November 2024 – O’Chiese First Nation: The body of 18-year-old Travis Strawberry, a resident of the O’Chiese First Nation, was found in the woods in Clearwater County. The coroner determined the cause of death to be foul play. RCMP charged Whitford with second-degree murder in Strawberry’s death.
- February 2, 2025: Alberta RCMP issued a province-wide notice for Whitford’s apprehension. The release did not specify which charges he was wanted for and notably excluded the second-degree murder charge from the poster.
A Violent Criminal on the Run
Derrick Phazar Whitford is described as having a medium complexion, standing six feet tall, weighing approximately 138 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
The RCMP consider Whitford armed and dangerous. If spotted, he should not be approached, and 911 should be called immediately.
Authorities believe Whitford may be in the O’Chiese First Nation or Sunchild First Nation areas. He also has ties to Red Deer and Edmonton, as well as contacts in the Mayerthorpe and Lac Ste. Anne County regions.
Anyone with information about Whitford’s whereabouts is urged to contact the RCMP or local police. Anonymous tips can be provided to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 or visiting www.p3tips.com.
