Life sentence, no parole for 14 years for man convicted of murder in New Westminster stabbing

A man convicted of second-degree murder for a fatal stabbing in New Westminster has been handed a life sentence with no parole eligibility for 14 years, homicide investigators announced Thursday.

Ryan Crossley received his sentence on April 23 in connection to the 2021 killing of 51-year-old Robert Powshuk. On Nov. 19 of that year, Powshuk entered a coffee shop on Columbia Street with life-threatening injuries. In spite of help from first responders, Powshuk died.

Video surveillance video revealed Powshuk was "involved in a violent altercation" with two men, investigators said, who were later identified as Crossley brothers, Ryan and Curtis.

Ryan was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder on Sept. 23, 2023.

Curtis pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August 2023 and was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in prison, with no parole eligibility. An agreed upon statement of facts said while Curtis was holding a knife during the attack, all of the victim's stab wounds were inflicted by Ryan. 

"Curtis Crossley did nothing to stop Ryan Crossley, but rather participated in the assault, including kicking Mr. Powshuk as he lay on the ground," Justice Andrew Mayer wrote in his sentencing decision for Curtis last year, describing the aggravating factors in the case. "Mr. Powshuk was defenceless throughout this attack. After the attack, Curtis Crossley sprayed Mr. Powshuk in the face with bear spray as he lay on the ground."

Curtis also helped his brother clean up the scene and threw his own knife into the Fraser River after the pair fled, Mayer noted.

"This was an extremely graphic and disturbing incident that occurred in our downtown core," said Deputy Chief Const. Paul Hyland in a statement released Thursday. "I want to thank the (New West Police Department) members who first responded to the scene as well as those members who assisted IHIT in bringing this file to its conclusion with a successful conviction and sentencing of these two subjects."

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Lisa Steacy