Son of wrongly convicted accused killer Thomas Sophonow pleads guilty to 2017 murder

Randeep Dhaliwal, 39, died in 2017 at a Calgary Halloween house party. Thursday, Christopher Desjarlais pleaded guilty to second degree murder.

The son of one of Canada's best-known wrongly convicted men, Thomas Sophonow,  has reached a plea deal  in the 2017 death of 39-year-old Randeep Dhaliwal.

Christopher Desjarlais pleaded guilty to second degree murder Thursday.

A judge sentenced the 43-year-old Desjarlais to life in prison, with no chance of parole for 12 years.

“I’m glad justice has been served,” said Dhaliwal’s brother Mandeep Dhaliwal. “There’s nothing that can be equal to the grief, the hard time we’re going through.

"It's torn us apart," he added.  "There’s no justification for somebody to do that kind of senseless crime.”

In November 2017, Dhaliwal’s family reported him missing. A year earlier he was involved in a head-on crash that left him with serious brain damage. He suffered short-term memory loss and had problems with decision-making and communicating.

“In his youth he had a troubled past, but at the same time, for the past two years of his life, he was suffering with permanent brain damage,” said Mandeep Dhaliwal. “He was not the same person he used to be, he was very child-like, that’s why we had to take him into our house.”

According to an agreed statement of facts read in by Crown Prosecutor Deven Singhal, on October 31, 2017, Dhaliwal went to a home on Pineside Place NE to join a group of people who were drinking during the afternoon to celebrate Halloween.

Dhaliwal was family friends with the property owner, but didn't know anyone at the gathering.

Dhaliwal spent the next several hours drinking, and smoked cracked cocaine outside the basement suite.

Court heard Dhaliwal went into a young woman’s bedroom and tried to lift her blanket, then later touched her leg, which upset her.

That woman called her stepfather, Christopher Desjarlais for help.

Desjarlais arrived at the basement suite and exchanged a few words with Dhaliwal. He then wrapped a plastic bag over his head. Dhaliwal was able to rip open the bag.

Desjarlais then stabbed Dhaliwal multiple times.

“The accused specifically admits that while attacking Mr. Dhaliwal, he intended to cause grievous bodily harm.

"He knew was likely to cause Mr. Dhaliwal’s death and was reckless as to whether to not death ensued,” said Singhal.

Desjarlais then went to a home in the southeast where he burned clothing and two knives in a burn barrel outside.

Dhaliwal’s body was discovered in the basement suite on November 3, 2017.

Days later, Desjarlais was arrested on November 5, 2017.

“He truly believed his daughter was sexually assaulted at the time, he has since found out she wasn’t sexually assaulted,” said Desjarlais defence lawyer Adriano Iovinelli outside the courtroom.

“In hindsight, he wouldn't have had that rage, that much aggression and I don’t think this would have been the outcome.”

Dhaliwals mother and sister-in-law sobbed in court while victim impact statements were read.

Sangeeta Dhaliwal told court she is having a hard time dealing with their loss, saying all of his belongings are still in his room.

Desjarlais briefly addresed the family.

“I’d like to say sorry to the family, there’s nothing I can do to take it back.”

Desjarlais has been in custody since his arrest. Court heard he has 32 prior convictions on his record, including robbery.

His father Thomas Sophonow was tried three times for the 1981 murder of a donut shop clerk, before being acquitted in 1985 by the Manitoba Court of Appeal.