Keiron Gregory pleads guilty to 2020 manslaughter in death of Liberian war lord

Entering a guilty plea A man accused of shooting and killing a former Liberian warlord entered a guilty plea Monday. CTV London’s Nick Paparella reports.

A 24-year-old has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and break and enter in connection to the 2020 death of Bill Horace, an alleged Liberian warlord.

Keiron Gregory of North York was initially charged with second degree murder in the death of 44-year-old Bill Horace, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter in court on Monday.

As previously reported by CTV News, Horace had ties to the National Patriotic Front in Liberia, a rebel group involved in the First Liberian Civil War from 1989 to 1996.

He was named as a former commander in a rebel Liberian army whose alleged war crimes were under investigation.

It’s unclear however if his past had anything to do with the murder.

In an agreed statement of facts, the court heard how Gregory was out for revenge after Horace duped Gregory into a fraudulent fake money scheme.

Crown attorney Steve Monaghan said that Gregory had handed $80,000 to Horace and upon realizing the fraud demanded the return of his money.

Toronto police Det.- Const. Trevor Gregory, 46, and Keiron’s father also pleaded guilty to breach of trust by a public officer for giving personal and private information from government sources to another person.

Gregory obtained Horace’s London address from his father, and on Father’s Day 2020 Gregory, along with three other individuals who’ve never been identified, broke into Horace’s home in order to get his money back.

Horace was beaten and shot to death with his wife and two of his seven children in the home.

Horace’s estranged wife Joyce told the court, “I’m overwhelmed everyday on how I move on from this trauma. The suffering never seems to go away.”

She added that despite what has been reported in the media regarding Horace’s past, he was a good father and that she feels “so bad” when she thinks about what her children must feel, having to assume the role of both mother and father.

In court, Gregory expressed remorse and sorrow.

“I genuinely do want to apologize…every day I am saddened and remorseful for what happened,” he said.

The Crown is requesting a sentence of 12 to 14 years, while the defence is asking for a sentence of eight years.

Justice Duncan Grace will hand down his decision on August 30.

— With files from CTV News London’s Nick Paparella