Two men guilty of first degree murder in death of Shawn Yorke
Emotions were high in a Kitchener courtroom Tuesday as a judge handed down a pair of first-degree murder verdicts to two Kitchener men.
Kenneth Morrison, 30, and Mowafag Saboon, 27, received an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years.
In the judge-alone trial, Justice James Sloan determined both were responsible for the shooting death of 46-year-old Shawn Yorke.
Court heard Yorke was killed in his townhome on Elm Ridge Drive around 1 a.m. on July 8, 2018 during a botched robbery.
The judge noted Yorke sold drugs out of his home, and Morrison, Saboon and two teens had planned to rob him.
Justice Sloan added they carried out a home invasion robbery with “two guns at the ready.”
Court was told the group found Yorke sitting on the edge of his bed and he had attempted to fight back.
However, Justice Sloan said Morrison pointed a gun at Yorke and unlawfully confined him before the shooting.
According to the judge's findings it was Saboon who fired the fatal shot at close range and hit him in the chest.
“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Saboon murdered Shawn,” said Justice Sloan.
After the decision Tammy Lee, Yorke’s family member, provided a statement to CTV:
“We, Shawn’s family, are thankful for the verdict and our justice system. Without the hard work from the Crown Attorney, and everyone involved at the WRPS we would not have the verdict we received today! Although this is not a ‘win’ we are grateful that Shawn’s life was considered and justice was served. Shawn was a man with a heart of gold, and today he is proud of all of us for enduring the pain we have all suffered for three and half years.”
Meanwhile, Morrison's lawyer said they are disappointed with the judge's decision.
"Our client has never minimized his role in this offence, but it is our legal position that he is not guilty of murder," said defence attorney Jessyca Greenwood. "It will be for a higher court to review the conviction should Mr. Morrison decide to appeal."
Morrison and Saboon will return to court on Dec. 9 for a sentence hearing where victim impact statements will be heard.
The two teens involved in this case pleaded guilty to manslaughter in 2019 for their role in Yorke’s death.
They were sentenced to three years behind bars.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
NEW Iconic Canadian song turns 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Prince Harry, Meghan arrive in Nigeria to champion the Invictus Games and meet with wounded soldiers
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, arrived in Nigeria on Friday to champion the Invictus Games, which he founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans, among them Nigerian soldiers fighting a 14-year war against Islamic extremists.
Countries struggle to draft 'pandemic treaty' to avoid mistakes made during COVID
After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.
Storm-battered U.S. South is again under threat. A boy swept into a drain fights for his life
Dangerous storms crashed over parts of the U.S. South on Thursday even as the region cleaned up from earlier severe weather that spawned tornadoes, killed at least three people, and gravely injured a boy who was swept into a storm drain as he played in a flooded street.