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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.
Douglas DC-4 plane with 2 people on board crashes into river outside Fairbanks, Alaska
A Douglas C-54 Skymaster airplane crashed into the Tanana River near Fairbanks on Tuesday, Alaska State Troopers said.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.