An Alberta man convicted in the killing of two Métis hunters has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years.
A lawyer representing Anthony Bilodeau says his client was defending himself and his family, while prosecutors argue he was one of the aggressors.
The sentencing hearing began today in Edmonton for Bilodeau, who was found guilty in May of second-degree murder in the death of Maurice Cardinal and manslaughter in the death of Jacob Sansom.
Sansom, who was 39, and Cardinal, who was 57, had been moose hunting in March 2020, before they were shot and left on the side of the road near Glendon, Alta., a rural community about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
Bilodeau’s father, Roger Bilodeau, was convicted of manslaughter in the two killings and sentenced 10 years in prison.
Anthony Bilodeau had faced an automatic life sentence, and the parole ineligibility period for second-degree murder had to be at least 10 years.
The Crown had asked that Bilodeau serve 15 years before he can apply for parole, while the defence recommended the minimum 10 years.
Defence lawyer Brian Beresh argued in court Friday that Bilodeau reacted to the altercation that was before him.
“This is a unique case,” Beresh said. “His action and conduct must be seen as being reactionary.”
The Crown said that the father and son took the law into their own hands when they chased down Sansom and Cardinal because they believed the hunters were attempting to steal from their family farm.
“The Bilodeaus were the aggressors,” said Crown attorney Jordan Kerr.