Guilty plea in Malvern barbershop murder case

Kevin Perez, who has been charged with the murder of Chris Thompson, is shown in this court sketch on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012.

A man has pleaded guilty in the brazen noon-hour murder of a popular Malvern barber earlier this year.

Christopher Thompson, 35, was killed after a gunman walked into his east-end barber shop and opened fire during the noon hour on Jan. 24, 2012.

Less than a month later, Toronto police arrested two brothers, 27-year-old Kevin Perez and 22-year-old Christopher Perez. Both men were charged with first-degree murder.

Kevin Perez pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of second-degree murder Friday. He was sentenced to life in jail with no possibility of parole for 20 years.

As part of the plea deal worked out with the Crown, Perez’s younger brother will walk free, his charge marked withdrawn, Det. Les Dunkley said.

Kevin Perez was caught on surveillance video walking up to the barber shop with what appeared to be a shotgun.

A second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence. The difference between first-degree murder and second-degree murder is the length of parole ineligibility. First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years