Surprise guilty plea entered in Saskatoon 2nd-degree murder trial

A Saskatoon man charged with second-degree murder entered a surprise guilty plea just three days into his trial at the Court of Queen's Bench.

Raven Don Constant admits he stabbed Jonathan Moosewaypayo 18 times and wounded two other men in a stabbing spree on 22nd Street W. and Avenue O S.on New Year's Day 2013.

Constant's lawyer, Kevin Hill, confirmed that he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of aggravated assault on Wednesday. Hill could not elaborate on the circumstances of the plea. He said that Constant will be back for sentencing in February.

• Family mourns city's first homicide victim of year

Moosewaypayo, 28, died half an hour into New Year's Day. Police were called to an apartment block at Avenue O S. and 22nd Street W. and arrived to find Moosewaypayo on the walkway, bleeding from multiple stab wounds.

It was the first homicide of 2013.

Constant was also charged with attempted murder for two alleged attacks the same night. Those attacks occurred one block away from where Moosewaypayo died.

On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charges of aggravated assault.