After more than two years searching for the truth about what happened to her brother in a downtown Trail back alley, Adena Wong says the acquittal in the case has left her family with a mix of disappointment, heartbreak and unanswered questions.
“It’s really hard to say how I’m feeling because it’s very conflicting,” Wong said in an interview with the Trail Times.
“I am definitely relieved for my brother, and now we have to process what just happened. But I am glad that this piece is over.”
Gregory Ferraby, a Trail firefighter who was not on duty at the time, was found not guilty April 24 in Rossland provincial court on charges of assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats stemming from an April 2023 case in the 900-block of Spokane Street.
Ferraby was the only remaining accused in the case involving Darryl Wong, who was homeless at the time, after the BC Prosecution Service stayed one count each of assault causing bodily harm against Richard Morris and Wesley Parsons.
Following the alleged assault, Trail RCMP reported Wong suffered head and shoulder injuries.
He was transported to the Trail hospital for medical treatment that night as police worked to identify the men involved.
“For the first while, my brother did not want to say who they were,” Wong said. “He wanted to protect us and keep it close to his chest, because he didn’t even want to pursue anything.”
Throughout the process, Wong said she and her sister were not only advocating for their brother, now 52, but also trying to verify claims circulating in the community.
“We were about seeking truth and seeking justice for anybody involved,” she said.
She said social media posts alleging criminal behaviour by her brother were especially difficult for the family, but did not go ignored.
Wong said every allegation they heard or read online was reported to police as part of their effort to uncover the truth.
“We would ask, ‘Is there any validity to this? Because if this happened, hold him accountable,’” she said. “We never wavered on that — ever.”
She added that, to her knowledge, none of those allegations were substantiated.
Wong said one of the most difficult aspects over the past three years has been the reaction within the community.
“It definitely has been eye-opening,” she said. “You think you are more than just acquaintances with people in this community … do we feel let down? Absolutely.”
She described strained relationships, social isolation and a sense that support was limited.
“We had people we used to think were friends … they stopped saying hello, they would turn around and walk away,” Wong said.
She also spoke about what she described as broader attitudes toward vulnerable people in the community.
“You see a real hatred,” she said, referring to harsh online commentary about people struggling with addiction and mental health, including her brother.
“I understand the frustration, it’s not an easy time for a lot of people in our community,” she said. “But taking photos of people and putting them on Facebook for everyone to see, when that person probably doesn’t even have Facebook — how does that help? I see no value in it.”
Wong said those attitudes contributed to what she believes were barriers in the case, including challenges obtaining potential evidence.
She said her family was frustrated to learn during court proceedings that some businesses did not provide surveillance footage to investigators, despite being asked.
“It’s one of the worst areas downtown and a known problem area, so why is it that the cameras weren’t working?” she said.
Wong stressed that her understanding of those issues comes from what was presented during proceedings and discussions around the case.
“We went through so many roadblocks,” she said.
She said her brother ultimately chose not to attend court for the April 24 verdict because of the emotional toll.
“Even showing up in court from the beginning of the trial was intimidating for him … it’s very triggering,” Wong said.
Despite the acquittal, Wong said she believes the case raises broader concerns.
“It sends such an awful message,” she said. “If you have an addiction … you’re not seen as a suitable witness.”
Wong said the end of the criminal trial marks the close of one chapter for her family, but not the end of their effort to understand what happened.
The family filed a civil lawsuit in 2024 naming Ferraby, Morris and Parsons, along with Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary and the City of Trail.
Wong said that process will continue.