Life sentence handed down in Luka Gordic's swarming death
19-year-old died after he was swarmed and stabbed by a group of teens in Whistler in 2015
A man has been handed a life sentence in the killing of Luka Gordic outside a 7-Eleven in Whistler, B.C., almost four years ago.
Family of the slain teen broke into loud applause and cheers when the sentence was announced in the Vancouver courtroom.
Crown counsel Henry Reiner says Gordic case among the most disturbing in his career as his voice cracked talking to media outside court. <a href="https://t.co/twchrKtt5A">pic.twitter.com/twchrKtt5A</a>
—@BellePuriThe killer cannot be named until after the appeal period, because he was 17 years old at the time of the crime. He was found guilty of second-degree murder in October 2017.
Two other men who were found guilty of manslaughter in Gordic's death have been sentenced to 18 months custody and 18 months supervision.
The three were part of a bigger group that swarmed and killed the Burnaby, B.C., teen in May 2015.
Mitch Gordic arrives for sentencing of three males guilty in the Whistler killing of his son Luka in May 2015. Says, “This won’t be over for me until I die.” <a href="https://t.co/LsmiRufcK4">pic.twitter.com/LsmiRufcK4</a>
—@BellePuriThe Crown had said it would be seeking adult sentences in their cases.
A fourth person, Arvin Golic, was also convicted in relation to Gordic's death.
Golic, who was 18 at the time, was found guilty of manslaughter and was sentenced in December 2017 to seven years in prison for his part in the killing.
Subtracting time served, he was ordered to spend five years behind bars.
'Sweet guy'
Gordic had been in Whistler with some friends for a May long weekend trip when he was killed.
He was separated from his group when he went into the convenience store to buy a bag of chips on May 17. The teen was attacked when he came outside and died from multiple stab wounds.
Gordic has been described as a confident, "simple, sweet guy" who loved his friends and family — especially his big brothers.
Police have never specified a motive, but the family believed there was enough evidence to warrant a second-degree murder charge — something they pushed for during and after Golic's murder trial.
Corrections
- An earlier version of this story referred to it as a manslaughter trial. In fact, it was a murder trial.Jan 11, 2019 2:47 PM PT
With files from Rhianna Schmunk and Belle Puri