It took jury took less than two days to convict 25-year-old Sinbad Marshall of the second-degree murder of a Scarborough senior, who was killed in her own home during a break-and-enter.
It was on Nov. 11, 2015, when Stella Tetsos was found badly beaten in the basement of her bungalow near Birchmount Road and St Clair Avenue East. The house had been ransacked and various items of jewelry were missing.
The following day, while police were conducting surveillance near Woodbine Avenue and O’Connor Drive on Marshall, officers noticed a gold ring with a turquoise stone on Marshall’s hand that matched the description of a piece of jewelry missing from Tetsos’s home. Marshall was arrested and charged with her murder.
Marshall testified in his own defence, telling the jury that he was homeless and was addicted to alcohol and drugs at the time of the murder.
He told the jury he was walking by Tetsos’s home and noticed the lights were off and there was no car in the driveway and decided to break-in through a basement window. Unaware that anyone was inside, Marshall said he was surprised to find anyone home saying he panicked and punched her in the face but never meant to kill her.
Crown attorney David Steinberg told the jury that Tetsos died of blunt force injuries to her brain and body.
After finding Marshall guilty of second-degree murder, Justice Robert Goldstein asked the jury to recommend a period of parole ineligibility between 10 and 25 years for him to take into consideration.
A sentence of second-degree murder means an automatic life sentence, but it’s up to the judge to decide on the period of parole ineligibility. The jury recommended a ten-year period of parole ineligibility.
Outside court, the victim’s son, Lou Tetsos, said the jury had no way of knowing that Sinbad Marshall had a lengthy criminal record and felt if they did, they would have recommended a longer period in jail before being eligible for parole.
“When you factor he’s been in jail, the thought of him getting out in six (years) is unacceptable but power to the jury, they did a great job. They don’t know the history,” he said.
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Marshall was convicted of a number of charges, including assault causing bodily harm after a violent break-in in the same Scarborough neighbourhood in June 2013. In that case, Marshall held a knife to an elderly woman’s throat and threatened to kill her. He was convicted and was sentenced to 18 months in jail and three years probation.
While on probation after being released from prison, Marshall was charged with another assault in May 2015. In that case, he pulled gold chains from the neck of his victim after choking him. Marshall pleaded guilty to those charges and was out bail, awaiting his sentence.
Lou said the whole family is relieved to have the trial behind them, adding it has been a stressful time filled with anxiety since his mother was murdered four years ago.
A sentencing hearing will be held in the new year.
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