Orillia man on trial for second-degree murder pleads guilty to manslaughter

Warning: This article contains details that may be disturbing and triggering to readers.

An Orillia man accused of murder has pleaded guilty to manslaughter midway through his jury trial.

Brian Lancaster, 38, accepted responsibility for the brutal Dec. 2023 stabbing of 25-year-old Kyle Farrows, who had opened his home to Lancaster and his then-girlfriend 18-year-old girlfriend Mackenzie Harrod who were battling addiction and without a place to stay.

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Lancaster admitted to delivering about two dozen fatal stab wounds to Farrows’ chest on the night of Dec. 14, 2023, killing the man in his bedroom. The court heard Farrows had been stabbed or cut about 90 times during the onslaught. Lancaster claimed he was protecting Harrod from Farrows. He said Harrod, who had previously dated Farrows, had a knife held to her throat and was about to be sexually violated by him.

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Lancaster told police he awoke to the sound of Harrod screaming and wrestled a knife from Farrows before stabbing the man repeatedly in his bedroom. He told police he “blacked out” during the stabbing and could not recall much else. The couple told Farrows that Lancaster was Harrod’s older brother; knowing that Farrows still had feelings for his former girlfriend.

Lancaster cried to police, claiming Harrod also stabbed Farrows. Harrod took a plea deal earlier this year to being an accessory after-the-fact to murder and was sentenced to house arrest. She admitted to hitting Farrows in the head with a bong to help Lancaster gain the upper hand on him during their fight. Lancaster and Farrows left the apartment hours after Farrows was killed. Their bloodied clothes were found in a wooded area. Harrod admitted during her plea proceedings that she helped clean blood from the scene.

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Justice Laura Bird informed the jury that a mistrial had been ordered. Lancaster pleaded guilty to manslaughter before regional senior judge, Justice Howard Leibovich.

Lancaster was represented by defence lawyers Brendan Monk, Tamar Bitton and Alison Craig, who declined to comment on the plea at this time.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled to begin in October when he will hear victim impact statements from Farrows’ family.