Sudbury man sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter in downtown stabbing death
It was an emotional day in a Sudbury courtroom Thursday as family and friends read victim impact statements in a manslaughter trial.
The fatal stabbing happened in downtown Sudbury near the provincial building in November of 2019. Preston Pellerin, 17, died of a single stab wound that punctured his heart.
The man responsible, 19-year-old Steffin Rees, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced Thursday to 15 years with no chance of parole for seven and half years.
The judge heard Rees grew up unloved and his lawyer, Robert Beckett, said the social system failed him.
"He was in 18 foster homes," Beckett said. "He was in, multiple times, in group homes and then at 18 he was put out on his own to live independently and he didn't have what it takes to be on his own."
The judge heard Rees and Pellerin were friends after meeting in a group home. They were in a dispute over a stolen lockbox belonging to Rees containing $80, speed pills and his birth certificate.
In the investigation, police recovered rap lyrics written by Rees about harming Pellerin. The judge also heard Pellerin was a childhood cancer survivor, only to die at such a young age.
Before being sentenced, Rees apologized to the victim's family and said he will take as much therapy that is available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Arrest made, manslaughter charge pending in 2022 death of Calgary toddler
Calgary police have arrested a man and a charge is pending in connection with the death of a toddler in 2022.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Prince William returns to public duties after wife Kate's cancer revelation
Prince William will return to public duties on Thursday for the first time since his wife Kate revealed she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
Russia reports downing 5 Ukrainian military balloons in Kyiv's latest apparent war innovation
Russian air defences downed what authorities described as five Ukrainian balloons overnight, the defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday, as the sides kept up long-range strikes that have featured heavily in what has largely become a war of attrition.