Leamington man sentenced to life with no parole for 12 years in mother’s killing

Sentencing submissions were heard in a Leamington murder case. Viewer’s discretion is advised. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell reports.

A Leamington man, who pleaded guilty to killing his elderly mother, has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years.

Kevin Goodings, 62, received the mandatory life sentence for second-degree murder on Wednesday after Justice Maria Carroccia accepted a joint submission from the Crown and defence.

In addition to the life sentence, Goodings was ordered to provide a sample for the national DNA databank, received a lifetime weapons prohibition, and was barred from communicating with 10 family members and friends of the family.

Goodings pleaded guilty in December 2025 to the March 1, 2025, killing of his 83-year-old mother, Anita Goodings. The attack, which was captured on surveillance video, occurred outside her Sherk Street apartment in Leamington.

Assistant Crown Attorney George Spartinos said the 12-year parole ineligibility period reflected both the seriousness of the crime and mitigating factors, including the guilty plea.

“There’s a case called Shropshire that sets out the general rule on a second-degree murder conviction that’s 10 years. But there’s aggravating factors that will bring it up,” Spartinos said outside court.

“And in my view, what was aggravating the scene was a matricide, he beat his mother to death, and he does have a criminal record, and that’s why we came to 12 years on the parole period.”

Spartinos said the Crown would have sought a longer period had the case gone to trial.

“Remember, he got life. That being said, after a trial, if you take away those mitigating factors, if this went to a trial through a preliminary hearing, through a trial, the Crown would have been asking for, in relation to parole, 14 or 15 years,” he said.

Calling matricide rare, Spartinos described the crime as particularly disturbing.

“I’ve done several of these types of cases, but matricide is so rare,” he said.

“It just cuts to the heart of, I don’t know, almost a human soul to kill them. The woman who raised you? Gave you birth and raised you? It’s just horrible, horrific in my view.”

The court heard eight victim impact statements, detailing the trauma and anguish experienced by family members following Anita Goodings’ death. Several relatives were visibly emotional, and at one point were reminded by the judge not to make outbursts in the courtroom.

One of the statements was read on behalf of Brian Goodings, the victim’s son and the accused’s brother.

“Mother Theresa, Rosa Parks, and Jane Goodall have nothing on my mother other than fame and a camera to document her story,” he said.

“My mother is the most giving person I have ever known.”

Brian Goodings went on to say, “Absolutely no one will forgive you for this. The saddest part of that statement is that she forgave you before you were done committing the act.”

Defence lawyer Dan Scott told the court the case would have resolved quickly, even without the existence of video evidence.

Scott said Goodings had only a Grade 10 education, no mental health concerns, and had experienced homelessness in Toronto before moving in with his mother in October 2024.

“He comes before the court accepting responsibility,” Scott said.

“I cannot think of a circumstance in which a matter has resolved this quickly with these serious consequences. There is nothing that anybody can say that undoes this harm. There’s loss. There’s huge loss. And there’s nothing we can do to undo that.”

Goodings also addressed the court, saying he did not know most of the people who provided victim impact statements.

“What I did was very wrong. It’s unacceptable and I want to get this whole matter over with,” he said.

“There’s no excuse whatsoever.”

In delivering her sentence, Justice Carroccia noted Goodings’ past assault convictions, saying she believed he had an issue with anger, calling his actions “brutal and horrific.”

“It is clear to me your intention was to kill. There is nothing you can say or do to me that can change my mind,” she said.

“I cannot do or say anything to bring back Anita Goodings or ease the pain of a loved one.”

Goodings has been in custody since his arrest in March and will remain incarcerated under the life sentence.