Emotional victim impact statements read at sentencing hearing for young killer

Victim impact statements were read in the case of a man convicted in the shooting death of David Oliver. CTV’s Nick Paparella reports.

A packed Sarnia courtroom heard a number of tear-filled victim impact statements from the family of David Oliver.

The 29-year-old Oliver had been hanging out and smoking marijuana with a young friend along Army Camp Road at Kettle and Stony Point First Nation in July 2020 when things turned deadly.

The victim would end up being shot twice in the head and his body would be dragged into a nearby field.

The person responsible wouldn’t be arrested for years. However, in September 2024 after several interviews with a suspect, the OPP tracked down the killer only to find out that he was 16 years old at the time.

Charged under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, his identity cannot be revealed.

In the summer, the man, now 21 years of age, pled guilty to second degree murder for the killing. The act was described in court as heinous and senseless.

In her victim impact statement, Oliver’s mother Carla was sobbing.

“My heart is broken, and I know it will never be the same as before David was murdered,” she said.

“He may be a young offender but handled what he did as an adult. There is no guarantee he won’t do it in the future,” she added, fearful over his eventual release she added,

“You stole my sense of safety and peace of mind. David was the one I looked up to,” Oliver’s younger sister Faith told the court and her brother’s killer while fighting back tears.

Because of his age at the time, both the Crown and defence submitted a joint sentence recommendation of four years in jail followed by three years of community supervision.

The 21-year-old addressed the court and apologized for his actions.

He will be sentenced on Nov. 12.