Hamilton man guilty of 2nd-degree murder in stabbing of teen cousin Mark Bistoyong at barbecue

WARNING: This story contains a graphic description of a fatal stabbing.

A Hamilton man who stabbed his 16-year-old cousin at a family barbecue in 2023 has been found guilty of second-degree murder.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Andrew Goodman delivered that verdict in a standing room-only courtroom on Friday. Goodman will sentence Laureano (Lawrence) Bistoyong at a later date. 

Goodman called it a "heartbreaking event" that started out as a joyful birthday party.

Around 50 people came to the courthouse to support the family of the victim, Mark Bistoyong, 16. Many wore high school sports sweaters with his name on them or T-shirts reading "justice for Mark."

When Goodman announced his verdict, there were cheers, followed by sobs. Lawrence looked straight ahead and did not appear to react. 

Police charged Lawrence with murder in July 2023. 

Lawrence, then 22, stabbed the teen after a rough game of basketball, Crown and defence lawyers agreed during closing arguments. 

They disagreed over whether Lawrence meant to kill him. Defence lawyer Jaime Stephenson argued there was no animosity between Mark and the accused, who was acting on impulse and didn't intend for his cousin to die.

It was up to Goodman to decide whether Lawrence was guilty of second-degree murder or the lesser crime of manslaughter. 

Mark Bistoyong remembered as athletic, well liked

Stephenson said in closing arguments in September that Lawrence should be found guilty of manslaughter instead of murder because he had no plan to kill his cousin, but instead "leaned on the counter where the knives happened to be," picked one up, and "physics" rather than intent resulted in the fatal injury. 

Goodman rejected that argument on Friday, saying "I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt" that Lawrence meant to murder. Goodman said "I cannot conclude [his] actions were impulsive."

Mark's obituary described him as "an endless source of pride and joy to his parents and one of immense strength and guidance" to his three brothers.

He had just finished Grade 11 at St. Thomas Moore Catholic Secondary School on the west mountain, where he played on the football and wrestling teams, the obituary said. He had played hockey and had practised jiu jitsu and Muay Thai.

On July 1, 2023, Mark and Lawrence played basketball at a local court with several of their cousins. The courtroom previously heard that in the final game, the pair got into an altercation, then walked back to the house for the family gathering. 

Stephenson previously said that while the group was eating dinner, Lawrence left and threw up, telling his father he'd been sick because he hurt his stomach during the fight. 

Crown argues killing was intentional 

Lawrence went into the kitchen, picked up a chef's knife and stabbed Mark in the chest while he sat in the dining room, Assistant Crown attorney Michael Dean told the court in September.

He argued anyone taking such an action would know it was likely to cause death. The defence countered that Lawrence stabbed Mark without precision, guided by "physics" rather than intent to kill.

Therefore, Stephenson argued, Lawrence should be found guilty of manslaughter.

Goodman said he was unconvinced by the defence and did not believe that Lawrence acted on an overpowering impulse, or he had been provoked by the basketball game. He said at least 20 minutes passed between the game and the stabbing, "plenty of time for cooling off."

Reason for killing 'unexplained,' judge says

No words were exchanged at the game, Goodman said, and despite attributing his upset stomach to a tackle from Mark, Lawrence told people he was OK before he killed his cousin.

There is no evidence of threats or animosity from Mark toward Lawrence, Goodman said.

He told the court that Lawrence stabbed Mark with the biggest knife available and with almost enough force to reach the back of his rib cage. It would have been obvious to Lawrence, Goodman said, that this would cause "catastrophic" harm. 

"We don't know what the accused whispered to Mark, if anything, just prior to the stabbing," he said. "Why did Laureano stab Mark? It is unexplained."

But, Goodman said, motive need not be established to find Lawrence guilty, and it is not his role to speculate. 

Sentencing, victim impact statements at later date

Since Goodman found Lawrence guilty of second-degree murder, he will face life in prison with no parole for between 10 and 25 years.

Goodman will sentence him at a later date. He said it will take at least a day to do so, since the Crown said 35 to 40 people want to read victim impact statements into the record. 

Outside the courtroom, Mark's family thanked supporters, saying they loved them. They said they got justice for their son, who died for no reason.

One of those supporters, Elizabeth Clannon, spoke to reporters on the courthouse steps. She said she's a longtime family friend and remembers Mark as someone who "brightened everyone's day."

"We're quite a close-knit community," Clannon said, and it was "touching" to see everyone who came out for a family who's gone through such hardship.

"I'm happy for the family that we got justice for Mark," she said.