Warning: This article may be disturbing and triggering to readers. The Crown wants a Barrie judge to rule on the facts of the case after a jury convicted an Alliston man of manslaughter in the shooting of his best friend. The Barrie jury acquitted Gabriel DiCecco, 27, of first and second-degree murder in May, finding him guilty of the unlawful killing in the January 2024 death of William Schernhammer, whose remains were discovered on the side of the road nine days later in the Alliston area. The Crown asked Justice Vanessa Christie to rule on the facts of the case before sentencing DiCecco, whose hearing did not proceed as expected Monday morning. Loved ones were in attendance, some prepared to deliver victim impact statements to the court. The prosecution sought a decision on the facts, as the court was provided no indication how or why the jury reached its verdict in acquitting DiCecco of murder and convicting him of manslaughter. The prosecution wants the judge to determine the facts upon which the court will rely when sentencing DiCecco; who argued he was provoked when he shot and killed his friend the night of Jan. 12, 2024. The defence argued DiCecco shot Schernhammer after he testified Schernhammer tried to force himself on him that night in his car. DiCecco testified, in a panic, he shot Schernhammer, fearing that he was going to be sexually assaulted by his friend. He said Schernhammer had previously drugged and violated him in 2017 but police failed to investigate the allegations. DiCecco initially told police he knew nothing about his friend’s disappearance, later changing his story, telling investigators a mysterious masked man emerged from a field that night and shot Schernhammer, whom DiCecco testified sold drugs. DiCecco said he had a shotgun with him in his car because he was afraid of the drug dealers Schernhammer was associating with when buying drugs in Barrie. After several police interviews DiCecco eventually admitted he shot Schernhammer several times before dumping the body on the side of the road, then tossing Schernhammer’s cell phone. Schernhammer’s remains were discovered when DiCecco showed police where he disposed of his friend’s body. He was then charged by provincial police with murder and has been in custody since his arrest. The jury heard DiCecco had been driving his mother’s car which was found to have several bullet holes through the front passenger door, blood on the passenger seat, along with a cigarette. The Crown called DiCecco’s testimony evasive, incredible, and flippant. His lawyer Sam Goldstein said he could not offer submissions to the court after the Crown unexpectedly sought to argue the findings of the jury. The court also awaits lockdown records from the Penetanguishene jail where DiCecco has been housed since being taken into custody. Justice Christie is scheduled to deliver her ruling in early September.
