Ex of accused murderer Robert Matthews testifies he confessed to Calgary killing

Robert Joseph Matthews is charged with second-degree murder in Jordan Jacques-Vetten's death. (Court exhibit)

A visibly upset teenage girl spoke at a Calgary murder trial Monday, saying she was scared for her life after her former boyfriend admitted to the deadly shooting.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be identified under a publication ban, testified against 27-year-old Robert Joseph Matthews, one of two people charged in the death of 33-year-old Jordan Jacques-Vetten in the community of Capitol Hill on Sept. 9, 2023.

The teen girl, referred to only as “A.B.,” told the court she was 13 when she met Matthews, 25, on Instagram in July 2023.

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Speaking via video from another room in the courthouse with the help of an emotional support dog, A.B. said the pair developed a sexual relationship.

She said she received text messages from Matthews after the shooting telling her to check the news, that he was in trouble, and that he could be going to jail.

“He told me he shot a guy dead,” she testified. “He told me he shot him because he wanted to rob him.”

The girl became emotional, saying she learnt from news reports that a man had died, and the suspect drove a vehicle that sounded similar to Matthews’ red Pontiac Sunfire.

“I just cried,” she said.

A.B. says she met up with Matthews on Sept. 11, 2023, but didn’t bring up the shooting because, “a part of me was scared that I would be next.”

A.B. testified that Matthews took her to a friend’s home in Chestermere to drop off his guns, and became emotional again when she recounted that he had used his cell phone to record the pair having sex in the back of his car.

Court also heard that one of A.B.’s friends called 911 on Sept. 11.

“She was scared that Robert was going to do something to harm me or my family,” she said. “Robert and me were arguing, and he showed up to my house and sent me a picture of the back of it – and there was a gun in the photo – and if I remember correctly, he said that he was going to do something to my cat.”

Matthews was arrested Sept. 11 after a near 30-minute police pursuit, though it’s unclear if it was in connection to the 911 call or the shooting investigation.

Crown prosecutors also presented threatening text messages between the pair in the days leading up to Sept. 9, where A.B. testified Matthews discovered she was younger than 16 – the age she had told him she was.

“Better or worse you belong to me,” the texts read. “I’ll always be able to track you.”

A.B. also testified that Matthews told her to delete every message he sent her at the end of every night so he wouldn’t get in trouble for having a sexual relationship with a minor.

“I was scared for my life,” she told the court.

Court heard Jacques-Vetten was shot in the chest shortly after finishing his shift as a line cook at El Furniture Warehouse, where he had just recently started working.

He was discovered in a pool of blood on the front porch of a home in the 1700 block of 18 Avenue N.W.

The Crown argues Matthews made plans to rob people with loaded firearms that evening and shot the victim because he wouldn’t give up his backpack.

Matthews has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

An 18-year-old man from Chestermere was also charged in the shooting but cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, as he was a youth at the time.