Former CFL player convicted of ex-girlfriend's murder won't be eligible for parole for 14 years
A former professional football player who was convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend will not be eligible for parole for 14 years.
Joshua Boden, who once played with the Canadian Football League as a wide receiver, learned his sentence in a Vancouver courtroom on Friday.
Family and friends of the victim, Kimberly Hallgarth, sat in the front row of the courtroom gallery, at times crying and hugging one another.
Outside court, Hallgarth’s brother Jamie Errand said while nothing will bring his sister back, they are satisfied with the sentence.
“I’m very happy with the judge’s decision today. I think it was firm and fair,” he said. “The lack of remorse and admittance to the crime is really not that great, however that’s not me that has to live with that, that’s somebody else.”
Second-degree murder convictions come with an automatic life sentence in B.C., so it was up to the judge to determine when Boden would be eligible for parole. The Crown asked for 15 years, while Boden's legal team suggested 12 years.
Boden, 35, was found guilty last year of the second-degree murder of Hallgarth. The 33-year-old was killed in 2009 in the Burnaby, B.C., home she shared with her three-year-old daughter.
During Boden's sentencing hearing, the B.C. Supreme Court heard that Boden viciously beat his ex-girlfriend, choked her and then staged the scene in an effort to make her death look like an accident.
Justice Arne Silverman told the court that according to the Crown the “prolonged nature of the killing” was an aggravating factor, in which Boden stomped on Hallgarth’s neck and chest, and put pills and socks into her mouth before strangling her.
The Crown called her murder "blunt, brutal and horrific," with prosecutor Brendan McCabe describing her injuries as the most shocking he'd seen in his career.
McCabe told the court photos of her injuries she alleged stemmed from an assault by Boden were sent to then-coach of the B.C. Lions Wally Buono. The prosecutor said that Boden blamed Hallgarth for the end of his career.
The murder happened the year after Boden was released from the B.C. Lions, which he'd only signed with in 2007.
At the time of his release, he planned to play with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but never played a regular-season game with the team. He was cut from the team.
Boden maintained his innocence through the trial process.
As Boden walked out of the courtroom with sheriffs, he said “have a good day.” It’s unclear who the statement was directed towards.
Errand said his sister had an infectious laugh, loved people, and treated friends like family.
“It’s a sad day, but you know again I have gratitude that I’m here and we finally have some closure,” he said. “She’s missed.”
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.