Decision expected in de Grood case
Posted May 25, 2016 6:50 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The man accused of committing Calgary’s worst-ever mass murder will soon learn his fate.
Matthew de Grood, 24, admitted to killing five young people at a Brentwood house party in April 2014.
However, in closing arguments Tuesday, both the defence and crown agreed de Grood should be held not criminally responsible.
The trial was presided over by a judge brought in from outside of the city to ensure de Grood, the son of a veteran Calgary police officer, received a fair trial.
The judge heard from multiple psychiatrists that de Grood was not in his right mind the night of the stabbings, as evidenced by his showing up with garlic to ward off vampires and his ramblings that he was the son of God.
In an unusual move, the parents of the victims were also allowed to issue statements as part of the proceedings.
Justice Erik Maclin will deliver his decision 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The family members of the five victims have prepared a joint statement which will be read to media following the trial.
It will be read by Miles Hong, the brother of victim Lawrence Hong.
Joshua Hunter, Kaiti Perras, Zackariah Rathwell and Jordan Segura were also killed by de Grood.
660’s Ian Campbell will be tweeting from the courtroom:
