Kyle Truman, the son of a retired firefighter, sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years after being found guilty of first-degree murder last month, left Courtroom 3-2 at the Superior Courthouse in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon swearing and telling the judge his father was “a bad lieutenant” who made him out to be “a villain” and a “vagrant pedophile.”
Justice John McMahon called the fatal stabbing of Kent Truman on April 15, 2019 “a tragic and extremely brutal killing. An unsuspecting 77-year-old father slept peacefully when his son let himself into his father’s residence with a hidden key, and took his life,” said McMahon. He pointed out the jury’s finding of guilt indicated they believed the crown’s theory that the attack was planned and deliberate.
“The tragedy here is exacerbated in this case by the fact the accused is suffering from significant mental health challenges,” explaining that the accused chose not to share prior psychiatric assessments during the trial.
McMahon said that all the court received was secondhand information from family and friends who spoke out about Kyle Truman’s challenges in court. McMahon said it was also sad is the motive appeared to be “that dad tried to ensure that the accused got treatment and took his anti-psychotic medication,” which upset the son and may have fuelled his anger.
McMahon said along with the sentence and a lifetime weapons ban, that he would also be ordering a psychiatrist do a full assessment once the 49-year-old arrives in the federal prison system and the psychiatrist will provide a full treatment plan.
“I am concerned about your mental health challenges,” he told Truman saying that the crown had already obtained extensive records about the offender’s psychiatric history from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health through a production order, which McMahon ordered to be sent to corrections officials.
McMahon added Truman has no insight into his mental health, has accepted no responsibility, nor shown remorse for his father’s murder explaining that the assessment will help the parole board make decisions about Truman’s release down the road. “While Mr. Truman has mental health challenges, he clearly has the capacity to plan. He armed himself with a lethal hunting knife and proceeded to butcher his father to death by stabbing him eleven times,” said McMahon.
“I have an obligation to the community and the offender,” his honour explained referencing Truman’s prior criminal record which includes robbery, assaulting a police officer and six breach orders. The jury did not hear about his prior convictions.
“Where his mental health issues fit into this violence is unknown at this time. Mr. Truman is a danger to the community in acts of violence not only in the predicate offence but in his prior criminal record.”
When Truman was given a chance to address the courtroom before he was sentenced, he told the court that he has been in an epic battle for 30 years or more. “I’m Einstein-level genius. Certified. Documented. The ideas that have come out of my head have changed the lives of most people on the planet.”
He went on to tell the judge that the only times he’s acted out in violence was to protect himself.
When McMahon asked if he had anything to say about the murder of his father, Truman replied, “I loved the guy. Everyone loved him. He was respected in the community. I miss him everyday.”
Kyle Truman will be eligible for parole in April 2044.
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