Man gets 10 years behind bars in connection with woman’s burned body found in Burnaby park

A 22-year-old man was sentenced to 10 years behind bars Tuesday afternoon in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found burned in a Burnaby, B.C., park a year ago.

Carlo Tobias entered guilty pleas to manslaughter and accessory after the fact, though he’d been originally charged with first-degree murder in the death of 49-year-old Ma Cecilia Loreto.

With credit for time served, Tobias has 8.5 years left.

According to the agreed statement of facts read in court, Tobias hid behind a door in a house in New Westminster in March 2021. When Loreto entered, he punched her in the face. She was still alive and breathing when moments later, another person stabbed Loreto.

Her body was then wrapped in blankets and taped up to look like a rug.

Her burned remains were discovered on March 18 in Greentree Village Park in Burnaby.

2:35 Homicide investigators in Burnaby after human remains found in park

Investigators had said they do not believe her killing was a random act and that no one involved was previously known to police.

A female teenager was also charged in the incident, but cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.