Three years after he was arrested, a man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his 88-year-old mother in Mississauga on the day his trial was set to begin.
Anthony Biunno — 52 years old at the time of his arrest in 2019 — was charged with second-degree murder by Peel Regional Police.
Officers were called to the Shelby Crescent and Willowbank Trail area, near Tomken Road and Eastgate Parkway, at around 6:15 p.m. on Sept. 3, 2019, for reports of an assault.
Anthony’s mother, Mariantonia Biunno, was taken to hospital where she died of blunt force trauma injuries, Global News was told at the time.
In court on Wednesday, as the trial was set to begin, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was handed a life-sentence and will not be eligible for parole for 11 years.
According to the agreed statement of facts, Biunno killed his mother with a baseball bat.
The cause of her death was found to be multiple blunt force injuries, which resulted in “extensive” skull and facial fractures.
The statement of facts also said Biunno and his mother had an argument regarding her will two days before the incident.
Biunno was going to represent himself at the trial.
— with files from Global News’ Catherine McDonald