Lester Favel has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the November 2013 death of Ronald Kay.
Favel was on trial for second-degree murder, but opted to plead guilty to a lesser charge after a full day of testimony from two people who witnessed Kay’s death.
Favel admitted to hitting, kicking, shooting and urinating on Kay before helping put his body in a garbage bin.
The 23-year-old has been sentenced to seven and a half years in jail, minus time served. Since he’s already been in custody since January 2017, that will work out to another four years, nine months, and 15 days behind bars.
He will also have to submit a DNA sample, pay a victim surcharge of $200 and will be subject to prohibitions upon release.
“There was a profound sense of loss for this family,” Crown prosecutor Zoey Kim-Zeggelaar said. “They lost a brother, they lost a family member, and they’ve never been able to have a full sense of closure because they never did recover Mr. Kay.”
Favel spoke quietly as he addressed justice Brian Barrington-Foote. He said he hopes to get training and counselling while he serves his sentence in a bid for early release.
“I want to do better for myself and my children,” Favel said.
Two other men, Bill Favel and Trevor Asapace, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter in this case.
Asapace and the victim’s sister, Maxine Topp, testified Tuesday. Bill Favel was expected to testify Wednesday before Lester’s surprise plea.
Kay was reported missing after he was last seen at a Saskatchewan Roughriders game on Nov. 10, 2013.
Kay’s body was never found, and his disappearance was believed to be a cold case until one of his killers, a Regina man named Trevor Asapace, came forward to reveal what happened.