P.E.I. teen sentenced to 2 years in custody in death of Tyson MacDonald

Youth sentenced in death of 17-year-old P.E.I. boy A youth was given the maximum penalty for manslaughter in the death of a 17-year-old P.E.I. boy on Friday.

A teen who pleaded guilty in the death of 17-year-old Tyson MacDonald on Prince Edward Island last year has been sentenced to two years in custody.

Judge Jonathan Cody sentenced the teen to a total of three years, with two in secure custody, and one in the community under supervision for manslaughter.

The teen was also sentenced to 18 months in custody and six months under community supervision for interfering with human remains. That sentence will be served concurrently with the longer one. No credit was given for time served.

Both the Crown and defence recommended the sentence.

The youth will appear back in court before custody ends to be advised on conditions for community supervision.

The teen is also prohibited from possessing weapons for 10 years.

Twelve victim impact statements were read in the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island during the sentencing Friday. The judge took time to address each one before handing down his sentence.

The youth, who cannot be identified due to a publication ban under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was initially charged with first-degree murder in MacDonald’s death.

The teen pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter and interfering with human remains on Oct. 4.

Second teen to plead guilty

MacDonald went missing in Caledonia, P.E.I., the night of Dec. 14, 2023. After an extensive search, police found his body in the Milltown Cross area in Kings County on Dec. 20, 2023.

Two youths were arrested in connection with his disappearance and death and charged with first-degree murder and interfering with human remains.

One youth was also charged with accessory after the fact and obstruction of a police investigation. That teen pleaded guilty in February to mischief and obstructing a police investigation. The Crown stayed the charges of first-degree murder, accessory after the fact and indignity to human remains.

That teen was sentenced in April to:

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