Man pleads guilty to murdering neighbour in Airdrie, Alta., on Day 1 of trial

A man has pleaded guilty to murdering his neighbour in Airdrie, Alta., on what was supposed to be the first day of trial.

In September 2019, Michael Roebuck, 61, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of his neighbour, Daniel Macdonald, 57.

On Monday, Roebuck pleaded guilty in a Calgary courtroom to the lesser offence of second-degree murderfollowing negotiations between prosecutorJoe Mercier and defence lawyer Kim Ross.

Details of the killing are still not known. Facts will be presented at Roebuck's sentencing hearing, set to take place Thursday.

• 1st-degree murder charge laid in neighbour shooting on Canoe Close

Victim impact statements will also be presented to Court of Queen's Bench Justice Rosemary Nation.

The two men lived on the same street Canal Close in the Canals neighbourhood of Airdrie, which is just north of Calgary.

On Sept. 7, 2019, RCMP responded to the Airdrie community after reports of gunshots.

First responders found Macdonaldinjured outside a home. He died at the scene.

A second-degree murder conviction comes with a life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 to 25 years.