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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Man charged in ex's alleged contract killing released on bail

By: Mike McIntyre

Posted: 08/28/2012 12:38 PM

Drake Moslenko and Kaila Tran (FACEBOOK)

A Winnipeg man accused of planning the cold-blooded killing of his ex-girlfriend has been released on bail with the blessing of Manitoba justice officials.

Drake Moslenko appeared in court Tuesday morning expecting to launch a full-day fight for his freedom. Instead, he learned the Crown was consenting to his release from custody.

"In light of the bail plan that’s been proffered the Crown is satisfied at this point in time that the accused is entitled to reasonable bail," prosecutor Daniel Chaput told court. No further explanation of the highly unusual move was provided to the court.

Moslenko’s father agreed to post a $100,000 surety and have his son live with him at his Transcona home. Moslenko, 27, will also be under a 24-hour curfew, with the exception of being allowed out of the home if in the company of his father.

He is also prohibited from contacting more than two dozen witnesses and members of the victim’s family.

Moslenko is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly paying a man to stab Kaila Tran to death in a St. Vital parking lot on June 20. A co-accused, Treyvonne Willis, is also facing the same charge and remains in custody.

Tran, 27, died from the injuries she suffered after being attacked at about 7 a.m. while on her way to her vehicle, which was parked near her Clayton Drive apartment in St. Vital.

The young woman's screams alerted neighbours, who witnessed the attack. Several ran out of their apartments in a bid to help Tran, and one chased her attacker on his bicycle until he disappeared near the Seine River.

Police said Moslenko and Tran had been a couple for four years but split up recently. Moslenko was at the scene following the attack on Tran, sobbing and holding her hand as she lay on the ground bleeding.

Police claim a witness came forward to allege Moslenko approached Willis and offered to pay him cash if he agreed to kill Tran.

Moslenko is a former amateur baseball star and a budding rap artist who was involved in nightclub security. He pleaded guilty in 2010 to his involvement in a robbery at the Travelodge on Alpine Avenue, where he also worked.

Court records show he helped engineer the plan in which another employee turned over more than $5,600 in cash from the hotel bar to another co-accused but claimed she'd been robbed. He was given a three-month conditional sentence and probation.

Court was told Moslenko came from a tight-knit family, had graduated from Glenlawn Collegiate, and had attended Minot State University.

Willis had no prior convictions but faced drug-related and breach-of-bail charges when it's alleged he killed Tran.

Willis was charged Feb. 14 in The Pas with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, and was released on bail. He was charged April 4 with breaching bail conditions by failing to report to his bail supervisor, and again released on bail. He was charged a third time, June 12, with several more breaches of bail conditions and four Highway Traffic Act offences. Again, he was released on bail.

www.mikeoncrime.com