On Monday, February 26, 2024, a court hearing revealed a chilling confession. Solaimane Elbettah, 28, acknowledged his role in the murder of his 19-year-old co-worker, Josh Burns, claiming that the act was driven by unending demonic whispers.
The murder, which has rocked the small community of Sundre, Alberta, Canada, took place on July 4, 2022. Both men were working at a local McDonald’s when the incident happened.
Elbettah, who moved to Canada from Morocco in 2018, had held various positions in fast-food outlets and delivery services before he took up his job at the McDonald’s located on Main Avenue in Sundre.
During his court testimony, Elbettah, under the guidance of his defense attorney Pawel Milczarek, shared a perplexing narrative of his beliefs involving angels, demons, and spirits. He portrayed angels as protectors of order and humanity and demons as the origins of chaos. Elbettah insists that these demons communicate through whispers, which he believes played a crucial role in the events leading to Burns’ death.
The defense team is set to argue that Elbettah should be deemed not criminally responsible (NCR) due to a mental disorder, stating that he was incapable of understanding the moral wrongness of his actions when he killed Burns.
If the Court of King’s Bench Justice Glen Poelman finds this argument convincing, Elbettah could be confined to a secure psychiatric facility instead of serving time in prison.
Elbettah’s recounting of the night of the murder is unsettling. He claimed that he was constantly plagued by whispers from these demons, which escalated, leading to the murder. He alleges that these malevolent forces used his co-workers, including Burns, to aggravate his torment. “I’m a threat to them,” he stated, implying a malicious force behind his actions.
In the late hours of July 3, 2022, running into the early morning of July 4, he and Burns were the only employees working the night shift. Moments before the incident, they took a break to smoke outside. Subsequently, Elbettah deactivated the drive-thru service and left the restaurant to retrieve a machete from his nearby motel room.
Upon his return, Elbettah attacked Burns, inflicting an 11-inch wound to his neck, as detailed in the agreed-upon statement of facts. He left Burns on the floor of the restaurant.
Following the incident, Elbettah texted the McDonald’s manager, imploring her to call the police. His message included a warning about a murder at the restaurant and advised her not to enter alone. He added, “My apologies for everything. He insulted me, believing he was superior because of his race.”
Elbettah eventually phoned 911 from a nearby field. His 25-minute call was presented in full to the court by prosecutor Vince Pingitore. During the call, he confessed to the operator, “I want to turn myself in. I killed someone.”
As part of their defense strategy, the defense team plans to call three additional witnesses, including Elbettah’s brother, a friend, and a forensic psychiatrist. The goal is to offer a thorough understanding of Elbettah’s mental state at the time, reinforcing the defense’s claim of his inability to comprehend the moral implications of his actions.
