Calgary man pleads guilty in 2019 stabbing death of caseworker
A Calgary man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the death of a caseworker at an assisted living home that saw the victim suffer at least 19 stab wounds.
- Warning: details in this story may be upsetting to some readers
Brandon Jacob Spencer Newman made the plea Friday.
He was charged in the October 2019 death of Deborah Onwu at a Wood's Homes assisted living facility in the 1800 block of 27 Avenue S.W., a non-profit mental health centre that provides care for youth and their families.
Newman, who was 18 at the time, was a client at the home.
Investigators said Newman and Onwu got into a verbal and physical argument at which point she was fatally stabbed.
An agreed statement of facts says the woman suffered wounds to her face, neck, chest, thigh and ankle, with at least three wounds to vital organs.
She was stabbed 19 times.
After the killing, the statement says Newman walked away and stashed the knife under a bush about three houses to the east of the facility. DNA matching Newman and Onwu was found on the knife and handle.
Newman's lawyer told the court numerous times during the proceedings his client had a long history of violence, complex mental health issues and was childlike.
A sentencing date is expected to be set next week.
With files from CTV Calgary's Stephanie Thomas
This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the day
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Breast cancer screening should start at age 40, Canadian Cancer Society says
The Canadian Cancer Society says all provinces and territories should lower the starting age for breast cancer screening to 40.
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels is on the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Canadian-Israeli man shot dead in Egypt; claim links killing to Gaza
A Canadian man 'of Jewish Israeli descent' has been shot dead in the Egyptian city of Alexandria in a suspected criminal case, a security source said, while a previously unknown militant group said it carried out the attack in reaction to the war in Gaza.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
BREAKING Sheldon Keefe out as head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. The team made the announcement Thursday after the Original Six franchise lost to the Boston Bruins in seven games in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Boeing 737 catches fire and skids off the runway at a Senegal airport, injuring 10 people
A Boeing 737-300 plane carrying 85 people skidded off a runway at the airport in Dakar, Senegal's capital, injuring 10 people, according to the transport minister, an airline safety group and footage from a passenger that showed the aircraft on fire.