Winnipeg man's murder was 'vicious revenge killing,' judge says as teen pleads guilty

A Winnipeg teen has received a maximum youth sentence of seven years custody and community supervision for what a judge described as a "vicious revenge killing."

The now 17-year-old accused pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder in the killing of 20-year-old Canon Beardy.

Beardy died Feb. 6, 2017after he was attacked by the accused, an adult co-accused and others at a Magnus Avenue duplexwith a knife, macheteand baseball bat.

"There was a lot of bloodshed, an attempt at a cover-up and certainly some degree of planning, albeit minutes before the assault," said Justice Rick Saull.

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Beardy and another man had turned up at the house, "a known Crips [gang] hangout," when the adult co-accused recognized Beardy as someone who had allegedly shot at his house months earlier.

The youthand adult"began making a plan to confront and stab the deceased," Crown attorney ErikaDolcetti said.

The youth stabbed Beardy in the head and neck with a pocket knife, while another slashed at him with a machete and another beat him with a baseball bat. Beardy's companion was also attacked.

Beardy ran outside, clutching his side, and collapsed. He was rushed to hospital where he died from massive blood loss.

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A police dog later found a bloody bat and machete hidden under the deck of a nearby house.

The accused youth and the adult co-accused ran to the home of the co-accused's mother, who helped dispose of the pocket knife.

Police arrested the youth six weeks later.

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Court heard the youth had an upbringing marked by parental neglect, substance abuse and gang involvement.

The youth will serve four years in custody, followed by three years community supervision.

"It's the maximum sentence, but you are so young there is all kinds of time for you to turn the corner on this," Saull told the youth.

"But that is entirely up to you."