Ontario man guilty of killing, decapitating mom can apply for parole in 13 years

WARNING: The following story contains disturbing, graphic details. Readers are advised to use discretion.

An Ontario man guilty of killing and decapitating his mother in March 2022 has been sentenced to life in prison with a period of parole ineligibility of 13 years.

Dallas Ly, the 23-year-old Toronto man who admitted to stabbing Tien Ly, 50, to death in the east-end apartment they shared – before severing her head and trying to dispose of her remains – was in court Wednesday to receive his sentence.

The judge in the case also issued a DNA order, and a life-time weapons ban for Dallas, while recommending he receives a psychiatric assessment, and referral to psychiatric programs while in prison.

Dallas was found guilty of second-degree murder in May following a month-long trial in which court heard what unfolded before March 28, 2022 – the day Tien’s severed head and decapitated body were found in a garbage bag.

Dallas, who was 21 at the time, was arrested a few days later at the Eaton’s Centre after unsuccessfully trying to flee the country.

On March 27 that year, Dallas repeatedly stabbed his mother in their Carlaw Avenue home after Tien, a nail salon owner, returned from work.

During the trial, Dallas testified he told his mother he was moving out and was going to live with his aunt. When his mother became enraged and began screaming at him, threatening to kill him and his aunt before hitting him, Dallas said he reacted by getting a knife and swinging it at her.

2:47 Jury finds Dallas Ly guilty of 2nd-degree murder

A pathologist testified that Tien died of multiple stab wounds, suffering 27 in all.

Testifying he had suffered years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of his mother, he believed she was actually going to carry out her threats.

After striking her with the knife in her neck and realizing he had killed her, at first, he couldn’t believe what he had done and later panicked, decapitated her, put her head and body in garbage bags and used a shopping buggy to take them to Tommy Thompson Park, which he had searched online.

As he was pushing the cart down Eastern Avenue, he said he hit a curb and the body began to come out of the bag, so he abandoned his plan and left the garbage bags on the side of the road before running back home.

2:06 Court hears conflicting testimony from psychiatrists in trial of Toronto man accused of murdering his mother

A forensic psychiatrist for the defence who assessed Dallas testified he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder at the time, from the ongoing abuse, and was defending himself from what he thought were real threats. However, the Crown argued he had the intent to kill his mother as a form of revenge.

The jury convicted Dallas of second-degree murder after just a day of deliberations, rejecting the defence argument that he was provoked.

A second-degree murder conviction is an automatic life sentence, but the judge must decide on a period of parole ineligibility between 10 and 25 years.

Crown attorney Jay Spare argued on May 31 that 15 years would be appropriate, given the victim was Dallas’ mom and was brutally, decapitated, her remains dumped and her cash taken.

2:17 Son on trial for 2nd-degree murder of Toronto mother testifies in his own defence

Dallas’s lawyer, Jessyca Greenwood, argued a more appropriate period of parole ineligibility would be between 10 and 12 years.

On May 31, Dallas issued an apology.

“I never found the opportunity to say sorry during my testimony,” Dallas said in a soft-spoken voice.

“I want to apologize for the thing that I’ve done. I know I’m not the type of person to lose control. I understand it was out of character for me. I take responsibility for my weaknesses.”

In handing down his sentence, Superior Court Justice Brian O’Marra said he believed that Dallas initiated the attack and was the aggressor against his mother.

“I am satisfied the attack happened within moments of her entrance into the condominium,” he said, pointing out she was still wearing her winter coat, the suitcase full of towels she had brought home from the nail salon was still at the front door and her keys were undisturbed where she had placed them.

“He stabbed her with a lethal weapon he brought to the confrontation and she had none,” O’Marra added, also acknowledging that there was a disparity in the size of Dallas and Tien and that she was vulnerable.

“It was a brutal and cruel killing by a son to his mother,” O’Marra said. “Albeit she had been abusive but also affectionate. She had provided him with shelter and employment.”

During the trial, court heard that Dallas worked as a receptionist at the nail salon his mother owned . His aunt also testified that while her sister — Dallas’ mother — had a temper and would say unkind things to him, afterwards she would be affectionate.

O’Marra called the murder gratuitous violence.

“He desecrated her body and left her at the side of the road,” he pointed out.

The judge also noted that while Dallas had remorse for the damage he had done to his family and had taken responsibility for his actions, O’Marra said that when Dallas addressed the court he expressed no regret for having taken his mother’s life.

2:29 Toronto man found guilty of murdering, decapitating mother apologizes