Nathan Gervais' appeal of first-degree murder conviction dismissed

Murder conviction upheld The Alberta Court of Appeal has upheld the first-degree murder conviction Nathan Gervais, who was convicted in the killing of Lukas Strasser-Hird.

Calgary — The appeal of a man convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the November 2013 swarming and stabbing death of 18-year-old Lukas Strasser-Hird has been dismissed.

Nathan Gervais received an automatic life sentence with no parole eligibility for 25 years after being convicted in May 2019 in connection with the fatal attack on Strasser-Hird outside of a Beltline nightclub.

In the appeal request, Gervais' legal council indicated that the presiding judge erred in the interpretation of unlawful confinement and whether the actions of the group that surrounded the victim were indicative of a planned and deliberate murder.

The convicted murderer requested that he be acquitted of his first-degree murder charge or tried again on a lesser charge of second-degree murder.

Gervais' appeal was heard on May 6, 2020. On June 1, the Court of Appeal of Alberta announced its decision to dismiss the appeal request.

Gervais was arrested in Vietnam in 2018 after warrants were issued for his arrest in 2016 when he failed to appear for his first-degree murder trial.

Three other men have been convicted in connection with the fatal attack on Strasser-Hird. Franz Cabrera and Assmar Shlah were found guilty of second-degree murder while Jock Pouk was convicted of manslaughter.