A trial began Monday for three men accused of “viciously and unrelentingly” beating a man to death in southeast Calgary.

Justin Boucher, 31, Ronald Abraham, 42, and Robert Sims, 31, are on trial for first-degree murder in the February 2022 death.

At the time, victim Chad Kowalchuk, 53, suffered from health issues and spent a lot of time in his room at the Douglasdale home.

On Monday, prosecutor Vicki Faulkner delivered an opening statement to jurors, outlining the Crown’s case against the three accused.

‘Motive for murder’

According to the prosecutor, Kowalchuk, who lived with a couple, was initially set up for a robbery by his roommates, who knew he kept a safe in his room that contained drugs.

But Faulkner told jurors that the men who are accused of killing Kowalchuk came to believe he was a pedophile.

A photo of an 11-year-old child was discovered on Kowalchuk’s computer by his roommate, who then spread the word among friends.

Soon, the story snowballed, and in later versions, the accused were told Kowalchuk had pornographic photos and videos of the girl.

“The story became much bigger, it became much more sinister, it became a motive for murder,” said Faulkner.

Left for dead on the floor 

The plan evolved from robbing Kowalchuk to killing him.

“They weren’t going to the house to rob the safe, they were going to deal with a person they were told was a pedophile,” the prosecutor told jurors.

On Feb. 13, 2022, the group of friends entered Kowalchuk’s home, went to his bedroom and began their violent attack.

Two of the victim’s fingers were nearly cut off, jurors were told. Kowalchuk was tied up, beaten and left for dead on the floor of his room.

Fire set to destroy evidence, says Crown 

The men are accused of returning over the next five days to “ransack” the house, said Faulkner.

In an effort to destroy evidence and “to try and get away with murder,” the house was set on fire on Feb. 18, 2022.

Responding firefighters discovered Kowalchuk’s body in his second-storey bedroom.

Jerry cans and propane tanks were also discovered throughout the Douglasdale home.

The trial is set to last five weeks.

Faulkner told jurors the Crown plans to call 36 witnesses.