It was an emotional day in court for the sentencing hearing of a Calgary man who shot and killed his mother with a shotgun.
Lois Murray was shot in the head in her Ranchlands home on Thanksgiving Monday in Oct. 2013.
Her son, 29-year-old Andrew Douglas Murray, was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder.
READ MORE: Son charged in Ranchlands murder
Court heard Murray told a 911 operator he killed his mother and had been hearing voices for four to five days.
It was determined Murray was suffering from an alcohol-induced psychotic disorder and the onset of withdrawal at the time of the shooting.
He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charger of manslaughter.
At the sentencing hearing, Murray’s younger sister sobbed as she described the impact her mother’s death has had on her life.
Lisa Shaw told the court she’s become a shell of her former self.
“The same day you took mom, you took me,” she said.
To help her through the emotional testimony, Hawk, a trauma dog was brought into the court room to comfort her.
Both Shaw and her father testified Murray has struggled with severe alcoholism for years, and every attempt at getting his addiction under control ended with him relapsing.
The hearing will continue on another day, however a date has yet to be scheduled.
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