Lawyer claims killer Shawn Lamb was paid to confess

WINNIPEG — Shawn Lamb has pleaded guilty to killing two young women.

But in one of several surprising turns, the accused serial killer’s lawyer claimed Lamb was paid by police to confess to the crimes.

Lamb pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter in the 2012 deaths of Lorna Blacksmith, 18, and Caroline Sinclair, 25.

The Crown and defence lawyers made a joint recommendation to the judge that Lamb be sentenced to 20 years with no parole eligibility for 10 years, and that he be transferred out of province to serve his sentence.

Court heard Lamb, 54, met Sinclair in 2011 and after buying crack cocaine, they went back to his apartment, where an argument broke out and Lamb killed Sinclair.

He left her body in his bathroom for two days before wrapping it in plastic and discarding it in a dumpster.

Lamb met Blacksmith six months later. They did drugs at his apartment, where an argument broke out and he strangled her. He said he tried to revive her using CPR. He then wrapped her body in plastic and put it in a backyard on Simcoe Street, just feet from his apartment.

After his arrest, he led police to Blacksmith’s body.

Lamb’s lawyer Martin Glazer told court Lamb was paid by police to confess and had receipts to prove it. If Lamb wanted to, he could fight the confession in court and likely win and walk free, Glazer stated. Without a confession, there was no evidence linking Lamb to the killings, court was told. Lamb was a drug addict and was on drugs at the time of the murders, Glazer said.

Lamb appeared in a grey jumpsuit wearing shackles and holding a pair of glasses. He had a hard time hearing in court because he’s lost his hearing in one ear.

The victims’ families broke down in tears when the details were read out.

Lamb is also charged with Tanya Nepinak’s murder. Her body has never been found. That remains before the courts.

Because of the popularity of this case, Lamb has received death threats in jail, Glazer said.

“If he doesn’t get killed in jail, he’ll die of natural causes. This is a life sentence,” the defence lawyer said.

In a shocking twist, Lamb then told the judge he wanted to take his guilty pleas back and have trial dates set.

Lamb claimed a report read in court called him a psychopath and that was something he had never seen before. He demanded to take his pleas back, but the judge clarified, explaining the report said he had an antisocial disorder and he was never called a psychopath. Lamb then agreed to continue with his guilty plea.

A Sinclair family member yelled out, “Lamb you’re a f****** monster, take some f****** responsibility.”  He was quickly escorted out of court.

Lamb stood up again, saying, “like that person said, I turn into a monster at times,” then detailed how he killed Caroline Sinclair, details the Crown had already gone through. Sinclair’s sister Amanda broke down in tears as she heard the details a second time.

“I can stand here with what life I have to live and apologize but it won’t do good. An apology doesn’t change what happened,” said Lamb. “It’s a terrible thing. I can’t help people understand unless they were there or unless they lived the life of a drug addict.”