Latest news with #firstDegreeMurder
CTV News
05-07-2025
- CTV News
Two more people charged with murder in Sask. man's death
Regina Watch WATCH: Regina police have charged two more people with first-degree murder in connection to the death of a man whose body was found in June.
CBS News
04-07-2025
- CBS News
Colorado drunk driver receives life sentence after killing U.S. veteran father of four at gas station
In a Douglas County courtroom, loved ones of Lt. Col. Matthew Anderson delivered heartbreaking impact statements, asking the judge to deliver a harsh sentence for the man who killed their husband and father. The U.S. Air Force colonel and father of four was killed by a drunk driver in 2024 while their family was stopped at a gas station. Lt. Col. Mike Anderson Anderson family In April, the jury found Paul Stephenson guilty of first-degree murder and driving under the influence, among other charges. On Thursday, a judge sentenced Stephenson to life in prison, plus 92 years. In court, Anderson's wife said she and her four children were traumatized by the violent and preventable death of their father. She spoke about how she will never get to grow old with Matt, how he won't be there for his children's weddings and graduations, and how her youngest won't have any memories of him. Other family members said Anderson was a family man, an Air Force pilot and former Division I athlete who will be deeply missed. "He was our baby brother, but so much more," said Jill Anderson, the military veteran's sister. Jill described her brother as a perfect child and someone everyone looked up to. "Justice, that's all we have. That's all we have to give us some kind of closure," Jill said. For the first time, images released by the district attorney's office showed the family the day Matt Anderson was killed -- Aug. 4, 2024. The family of six had enjoyed a day at the Douglas County Fair before stopping at at 7-Eleven. While Matt gassed the car up and his wife went inside to get popsicles, prosecutors say Paul Stephenson veered across four lanes of traffic. Video from 7-Eleven shows the horrifying moment his truck crashes into the Anderson family car, Matt's wife witnessing the crash from outside their family's vehicle. The couple's children were injured, and Matt Anderson was killed. "When Matt was murdered by that guy, his four kids, they made it through it," said Wayne Anderson, Matt's father, who called their survival miraculous. Tyler Yowell, a Castle Rock Police Department investigator, got choked up when speaking about the case in court, recalling one of the children saying, "My daddy died. He can't play with me anymore." Prosecutors also showed the court body camera footage from officers on scene, depicting the chaos and pain of the family in the aftermath of the crash. "You need to pray for your soul, Paul," said Wayne Anderson, addressing the driver directly in court. At the time of the crash, Stephenson's blood alcohol content was 2.5 times the legal limit. He has a criminal history of domestic violence and prior DUIs. Prosecutors say he drank a pint of Fireball whiskey and two Bud Lights, and was on his way to the liquor store when he struck the family car. They say he took no accountability and was more worried about damage to his truck when questioned by officers. In court, Stephenson said it wasn't a fair trial and, "I'm sorry we're all here." The judge said she was "baffled" by his lack of empathy and accountability before she handed down a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 92 years. Matt's family hopes his loss -- and Stephenson's sentence -- will deter people from drinking and driving. "It's a real relief to hear the judge, how she was affected by this whole thing," Mike's father said. "I just feel better that today is kind of done and can get on with it. It won't be easy for any of us. There's a lot of us involved."
CBC
21-06-2025
- CBC
Accused in deadly Amqui, Que., truck crash found guilty of murder
Steeve Gagnon has been found guilty of first-degree murder after running down and killing three people with his pickup truck in Amqui, Que., in March 2023. The 12 jurors, who began their deliberations behind closed doors on Friday morning, delivered their verdict at the courthouse in Rimouski, Que., on Saturday evening. Gagnon faced three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder using a motor vehicle. He was found guilty on all five charges. He admitted he was driving the vehicle that struck and killed three people and seriously injured three others, but during his jury trial, the defence argued it was an accident. In order to find Gagnon guilty of first-degree murder, jurors had to conclude that he intentionally ran down those people, and that he planned the crime in advance.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- CTV News
Suspect identified in deadly Danforth stabbing wanted
24-year-old Anthony Steven Oliveira has been identified as a suspect in deadly stabbing in the Danforth area, and police say he's wanted for first-degree murder.
CBC
18-06-2025
- CBC
Defence says deadly Amqui, Que., truck crash 'was an accident' — Crown says it was murder
Crown and defence lawyers presented very different versions of events during closing arguments Wednesday in the first-degree murder trial of Steeve Gagnon, accused of running down and killing three people with his pickup truck in Amqui, Que., in March 2023. "It's possible this was an accident. This was a man with impulsive tendencies, who made an error. It was not premeditated," defence lawyer Hugo Caissy told jurors in his closing argument at the courthouse in Rimouski, Que. The Crown offered a different version. "Ask yourselves: is the theory of an accident credible? Or is it nebulous to the point of being incomprehensible?" Crown prosecutor Simon Blanchette countered during his closing statement. Gagnon is facing three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder using a motor vehicle. He admits he was driving the vehicle that struck and killed three people and seriously injured three others. In order to find Gagnon guilty of first-degree murder, jurors would have to find he intentionally ran down those people, and that he planned the crime in advance. "Yes, he's responsible for the deaths and injuries," Caissy told jurors. "But the analysis doesn't stop there. You have to be able to conclude that these actions were intentional." Accident theory Caissy said Gagnon was driving when he dropped something on the floor of his vehicle, reached down to pick it up, and then lost control of the vehicle and struck the pedestrians. Gagnon testified that once he realized what happened, everything went fuzzy for him and he doesn't have a clear memory of what happened next. Caissy said testimony from a psychiatric expert suggested Gagnon may have been suffering from a dissociative disorder that would prevent him from remembering details of the incident. "The fact that he doesn't have precise memories doesn't mean he's not telling the truth," Caissy said. Caissy also told jurors even if they conclude that Gagnon intentionally ran down the pedestrians, there's no evidence he planned the crime in advance. He said expert psychiatric testimony showed that Gagnon was impulsive, which could explain his actions that day. Caissy also referenced Gagnon's testimony in his own defense, which was often hard to follow and punctuated by outbursts, insults, profanity and threats. "It's not because the accused is confused or lost at times that his version is not the right one," Caissy said. Planned attack theory During the prosecution's closing argument, Blanchette reminded jurors that Gagnon had lost his job as a trucker the year before the incident because of a back injury, that he was unable to find another job, and that he learned in the days before the accident that his social assistance benefits would not be renewed. "Steeve Gagnon was living a difficult period. He made a plan to get revenge on society," Blanchette said. Blanchette said that plan was made clear in a series of videos Gagnon recorded just two days before the crash, where he described running down children in a schoolyard with his truck. Blanchette reminded jurors the day of the crash, Gagnon stopped at a schoolyard, but there were no students there because it was a pedagogical day. Six minutes later, the first pedestrian was hit. "I submit to you he planned to run down children, then adapted his plan when that wouldn't work," Blanchette said. The defence argued the video did not constitute premeditation. "That demonstrates nothing other than a person telling a story," Caissy said, noting Gagnon recorded many videos airing multiple grievances the same day. Starting Thursday morning, Judge Louis Dionne will begin giving instructions to the jury. Jurors will likely be sequestered later Thursday to begin their deliberations. The three men killed were 65-year-old Gérald Charest, 73-year-old Jean Lafrenière and 41-year-old Simon-Guillaume Bourget.
