Sudbury murderer must spend at least 18 years in jail, judge rules

Felicity Altiman must serve 18 years in jail before being eligible for parole for the grisly 2020 murder of a man in his Kathleen Street apartment.

Warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of a murder scene that many will find upsetting. Reader caution is strongly advised.

Sudbury murderer Felicity Altiman will spend 18 years behind bars before she is eligible for parole, a judge ruled Thursday morning.

Altiman, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder last fall, a finding that carries an automatic 25-year sentence.

Justice Dan Cornell said she must spend at least 18 years in jail for the gruesome December 2020 death of Robert Keskinen.

Keskinen’s body was found inside his Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020. He had been stabbed more than 100 times and his scrotum removed and stuffed down his throat, along with food.

The trial heard that Altiman had been staying at an apartment in the same building. The night of the murder, she left a small Christmas Eve gathering to visit the older neighbour, whom she had bragged about stealing from before.

She returned several hours later with bags of items belonging to Keskinen.

During sentencing submissions in June, the victim’s brother and cousin both read victim impact statements, saying they were left with “emotional scars and flashbacks,” and a “deep sadness.”

They were also left with an “aching question in our hearts: why?”

During his sentencing, Cornell said he considered Altiman’s character, the nature of the offence, sentencing imposed in similar cases, as well as recommendations from the jury, Crown and defence.

‘Brutal and cruel’

He said the aggravating factors in the case were “overwhelming” and carried the most weight in influencing his decision.

Cornell said Altiman’s “actions can only be described as brutal and cruel,” adding there was “excessive and abnormal violence.”

“This case can only be described as an inexplicable, brutal killing” and “one of the worst possible classes of second-degree murder.”

Cornell read from a pre-sentence report that said Altiman had denied involvement in the death and did not express remorse.

Submissions included a Gladue Report, which considers an Indigenous offender’s background when they are sentenced. Details revealed Altiman had a difficult upbringing that included physical and sexual abuse, a long-time issue with drug addiction and generational trauma.

Cornell’s ancillary orders included a weapons prohibition for life, that a DNA sample be submitted and that she has no communication with a list of individuals, including trial witnesses and the victim’s family.