Paulos Berhe wiped away tears as his victim’s 13-year-old child delivered a powerful victim impact statement in court on Thursday at his sentencing hearing.
Paulos Berhe facing life sentence for 2nd-degree murder conviction
Meghan Grant · CBC News
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A Calgary murderer wiped away tears as his victim’s 13-year-old child delivered a powerful victim impact statement at his sentencing hearing in court on Thursday.
“I thought I would always have him,” said Faith Lyons.
Since Donald Lyons's violent and unexpected death, “I’ve felt under the water,” said Faith.
Donald Lyons was fatally shot in December 2023. His girlfriend Amber Beach was also shot, but survived her injuries.
Earlier this year, a jury convicted Paulos Berhe, 30, of second-degree murder and attempted murder.
The crime was described by the prosecution as a drug deal gone wrong.
On Dec. 18, 2023, Berhe, Lyons and Beach met for what was supposed to be a drug deal. The three were in Lyons's truck when Berhe shot both from the back seat.
'No more hope'
Lyons’s adult daughter, Sky, also wrote a victim impact statement, in which she spoke of her father’s struggle with addiction. She said she always thought her dad would get more time to beat it.
“I always thought we’d have more time to reconcile, more time for him to succeed, more time for him to meet his grandchildren,” she wrote.
“There is no more time, no more chances, no more hope.”
A second-degree murder conviction comes with an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 10 to 25 years.
'The bad days'
Prosecutor Peter Mackenzie asked Court of King’s Bench Justice David Labrenz to impose a 14-year ineligibility period, while defence lawyer Allan Fay asked the judge to consider a 10-to-12-year period.
Dale Lyons, Donald's father, also spoke in court. He said he has some days that “are not too bad.”
But on the days he sees a red Dodge Ram truck, “those are the bad days, the meltdown days, so many tears.”
“There is no pain or sorrow that is worse than losing a child.”
'Forgive me'
Heather Lyons, Donald's mother, wrote that her son was her “best friend, my protector and my caregiver.”
“Nothing will ever be the same,” she wrote. “I hold tight to the beautiful memories of him … I’m here now numb, broken.”
Berhe was given the chance to address the court and offered an apology “to everybody involved.”
“I never intended to do it,” he said. “I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Justice Labrenz will deliver his sentencing decision in September.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Meghan Grant is a justice affairs reporter. She has been covering courts, crime and stories of police accountability in southern Alberta for more than 15 years. Send Meghan a story tip at meghan.grant@cbc.ca.
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