Two men accused in the brutal beating and stabbing death of a Hamilton, Ont., man in 2021 have pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
In all, four people have been charged in connection with the attack three years ago at a Main Street East apartment that led to the death of 30-year-old Tommy Hoang.
Robyn Cove and Daniel Holland, initially facing first-degree murder charges in Hoang’s death, gave up their right to a trial on Wednesday in pleading to the lesser offence.
In a statement of facts read to a court, the two did not initially know each other before the Feb. 10, 2021, incident that was characterized as robbery, beating and stabbing at an open-concept bachelor apartment at Main and Burris Street.
Fellow accused Madeleine Peternel, who, like Cove and Holland, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Monday, had been in a relationship with Hoang and allegedly lured him to her suite in a planned robbery.
Huang died in hospital of blood loss stemming from injuries caused by being beaten with a steel pipe, tortured and finally stabbed multiple times.
Jason Long, who had been accused of being the mastermind of the robbery, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder on Jan. 22.
Long, accompanied by Peternel, would later take Hoang’s car to his home to steal laptops, jewelry, steroids and cash.
Cove and Holland will return to court via video chat on Feb. 23rd to set a date for his sentencing.