Man goaded into fight with stranger to spend 8 years in prison for killing him

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This article was published 08/06/2025 (185 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After wading into a confrontation that had nothing to do with him, Brian Anderson was stabbed in the neck, head and body and left to die among strangers who were shockingly indifferent to his pleas for help.

Anderson’s killer, 23-year-old Elijah Moneyas, was convicted after trial of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison.

Anderson, 40, died following an early morning altercation outside the Mount Royal Hotel on Higgins Avenue, Aug. 17, 2022.

“Notwithstanding the fact that Mr. Anderson acted in a somewhat provocative manner by inserting himself into events that had ended and did not involve him, Mr. Moneyas’s actions were an extreme and violent reaction,” King’s Bench Justice Sarah Inness said at a May 27 sentencing hearing.

Moneyas stood trial for second-degree murder, but was convicted of the lesser offence of manslaughter after Inness found she was left with a reasonable doubt as to whether he had the intent to commit murder.

Much of the attack was captured on security video.

The video showed a group, including Moneyas, involved in a dispute with a number of people in front of the hotel. As the dispute ended, Moneyas and his group walked to the north side of Higgins Avenue when Anderson walked onto the road and yelled at the group, goading individuals to fight “one-on-one.”

“Almost immediately thereafter, Mr. Moneyas ran towards Mr. Anderson and stabbed him in the upper area of his body, near his neck,” Inness said.

Other members of the group joined in by throwing objects at Anderson as he retreated to the beer vendor area of the hotel.

“It was apparent from the video surveillance that Mr. Anderson was bleeding and in need of medical attention,” Inness said.

Anderson tried to get help from people inside the beer vendor before returning outside and slumping to the ground, where he bled to death.

“The apparent indifference of people who walked away from Mr. Anderson, seemingly unconcerned, while he was bleeding profusely and trying to summon help, is shocking,” Inness said. “His death occurred in a profoundly sad manner.”

A pre-sentence report provided to court said Moneyas was exposed to substance abuse and domestic violence at home as a child and was abandoned by his mother when he was seven. He spent time in foster care and was abused by caregivers. By 15, he was smoking marijuana and drinking regularly.

As a child, he was diagnosed with a genetic learning disability.

Prior to the killing, Moneyas spent most of his time drinking, using drugs and “maintaining a criminal lifestyle.”

While in custody, Moneyas has taken part in rehabilitative programs and expressed a commitment to maintaining his sobriety, the report said.

“The positive news is that Mr. Moneyas acknowledges his difficulties and does not minimize them,” Inness said. “I agree with (defence) counsel that he appears to demonstrate some insight that bodes well for rehabilitative potential… He wants to become a better person.”

Anderson had been celebrating his birthday in the hours before his death. Family members said he had stopped at the Mount Royal Hotel on his way to a downtown Salvation Army shelter, where he had been staying.

An aunt told the Free Press Anderson said he wanted to “quit drinking and roaming” and find a home for himself where he could visit with his daughters.

“That was his world, those girls,” Sharon Campbell said. “He was a happy guy. He liked his music and he liked playing his guitar. He was loved by everybody.”

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca