Calgary man found guilty of second-degree murder in death of former girlfriend's daughter
A Calgary man who admitted to murdering his former girlfriend but denied killing her daughter has been found guilty of killing the young girl.
Robert Leeming, 37, pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial to the second-degree murder of Jasmine Lovett in 2019 but not guilty in the death of 22-month-old Aliyah Sanderson.
Leeming was convicted of second-degree murder Monday in connection with the death of the little girl.
His lawyer said during closing arguments in November that there's no evidence to prove Leeming was responsible for the girl's death.
Leeming testified he was looking after Aliyah when she fell down some stairs, then he found her limp and unresponsive when he checked on her later.
He said he snapped when Lovett accused him of doing something to her child and struck her several times with a hammer before coming back with a rifle and shooting her in the head.
The bodies of the mother and child were found buried in a shallow grave in Kananaskis Country, west of Calgary, in May 2019 after they went missing weeks earlier.
While reading his 54 page verdict, Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Keith Yamauchi said Leeming continuously lied throughout his testimony.
“Mr. Leeming is not a believable witness,” said Yamauchi.
In his decision, Yamauchi said the testimony of medical examiner that indicated a fall ‘could not do that to Aliyah’ weighed heavily on his guilty verdict.
The judge found that Leeming had committed an unlawful act of assault on Sanderson that resulted in her death.
He says beyond a reasonable doubt, Leeming "intended the natural consequences of his actions," knowing the injuries Sanderson sustained would result in her death.
"Mr. Leeming made a decision as to how he would conduct himself," said Crown prosecutor Douglas Taylor following the announcement of the verdict.. "I would agree with you he told quite a few lies."
GUT WRENCHING
It was a gut-wrenching experience for the family as they waited for Monday's verdict.
Jodi Sanderson, Aliyah's grandmother, wept in the courtroom as the judge convicted Leeming in the death of her 22-month old granddaughter.
Leeming sat in a grey sweater in court on Monday morning with his head down, showing little emotion.
"His actions and demeanour were nothing but disturbing," said Sanderson.
"At one point, they thought he was falling asleep, so we stopped for a little bit to wake him up which was extremely weird," added Lovett’s mother, Kim Blankert.
For the victims' family, today marks the beginning of a healing journey.
"I actually wanted to get up and hug the judge but I know that would have looked super weird," said Blankert. "We’re pleased that we got justice and relieved that is over."
A sentencing date has not been confirmed. A second-degree murder conviction carries a life sentence but the duration of Leeming's parole exclusion will be determined.
Douglas said the Crown had not yet determined what sentence it would request.
"We're going to process the reasons for decision, have a look at the facts and we'll craft our sentencing position based on that," he said.
"I would say it's safe to say we'll be asking for something in excess of 10 years," added Taylor.
A court date to schedule a sentencing date is set to take place February 11, 2022.
A second-degree murder conviction carries a life sentence but the duration of Leeming's parole exclusion will be determined.
DEFENCE 'DISAPPOINTED'
Leeming’s lawyer said during closing arguments in November that there's no evidence to prove Leeming was responsible for the girl's death.
Balfour Der says he and Leeming are both ‘disappointed’ by the verdict.
“We ran a defence and believed that the man had a legitimate defence and that they hadn’t proved his guilt in relation to Aliyah,” said Der to CTV News.
“Credibility is a big part of this case. If he is not believed then that takes away the part of the defence that he spoke to."
Der said the defence is looking at all options.
“We have some things in mind in what we would like to do,” said Der.
“Whether there is an appeal from this or not, time will tell (once) we digest the decision to see if there is anything that lends itself to an appeal.”
With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News' Austin Lee.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Trudeau's latest pre-budget pledge targets millennial moms, vowing $1B in loans for more child-care spaces
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
How do you navigate the social media minefield with your kids?
Growing fears about social media's harm have sparked lawsuits against social media companies from hundreds of school districts in the United States and now Canada. CTVNews.ca wants to know whether your children are addicted to social media or if you have concerns about their usage of platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and X.