WINNIPEG – A Winnipeg man has been found guilty of second degree murder in the 2004 killing of a transgender sex trade worker.
A jury deliberated for almost a full day before convicting 44 year old Theodore Herntier in the killing of Divas Boulanger.
The verdict came down around 9 o’clock, Thursday night.
Herntier will receive a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for a minimum of 10 years. A judge will officially determine the parole ineligibility period at a formal sentencing hearing in the coming month
Herntier showed almost no emotion when the verdict came down, grimacing then dipping his head.
A sister of Boulanger cried when the jury delivered its decision. Defence lawyer Martin Glazer was denied by the judge in his attempt to have the jury polled individually.
Boulanger’s body was found weeks after she disappeared in September of 2004. It was dumped off the TransCanada Highway near Portage la Prairie, wrapped in plastic.
Prosecutors said during the trial Herntier had picked Boulanger up in the north end, hit her in the head with a blunt object at his workshop and then disposed of the body.
Herntier was arrested in 2010.
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