Denecho King sentenced to life without parole for 12 years for 2014 murder, assault
King was found guilty of 2nd-degree murder and aggravated assault in July
Denecho King was handed a life sentence with no chance of parole for 12 years in N.W.T. Supreme Court today, after he was found guilty of second-degree murder and aggravated assault in July.
King, 25, was convicted of killing John Wifladt and seriously injuring Colin Digness in a deadly sword attack in Digness's apartment on Dec. 14, 2014. He was also sentenced to 10 years for his attack on Digness, which will be served concurrently with his life sentence.
Justice Andrew Mahar delivered his verdict Monday afternoon in Yellowknife.
There were no eyewitnesses to the attack in 2014. Wifladt and Digness, along with Digness's decorative swords, were found on the floor of Digness's apartment surrounded by blood.
Investigators found King's DNA on the handles of the swords used in the attack, but they didn't find any of his fingerprints or blood on them.
During closing arguments, Jay Bran, King's lawyer, reiterated the defence's theory that the two friends attacked one another with the swords in a Star Wars-esque battle.
Digness had testified that he blacked out from alcohol consumption hours before the attack and has no memory of it. He said he and Wifladt had, in the past, used the swords to recreate a Star Wars lightsaber fight.
There was also video footage of King at the Northern Lites Motel just after 5 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2014. In the video King made swinging motions, which the Crown said they believe was a re-enactment of what happened to Wifladt and Digness the day they were attacked.
Earlier during his sentencing hearing, King asked the judge for the minimum 10 years before parole eligibility. King said he just wanted to get through the sentencing so he can get help in a southern penitentiary.
With files from Richard Gleeson