CALGARY - A 29-year-old man has been convicted of first degree murder in the death of a male co-worker who he killed with a machete in the Sundre McDonald’s restaurant in July 2022.
Court of King’s Bench Justice Glen Poelman delivered the verdict in the case on Thursday, finding that Solaimane Elbettah deliberately and with prior planning deliberately killed Josh Burns, 19, early on the morning of July 4, 2022.
About a dozen friends and family members of the victim were in court for the Dec. 12 verdict.
Elbettah faces a mandatory 25-year prison sentence before being eligible to apply for parole.
The justice rejected a defence claim that the accused was not criminally responsible for the killing due to mental illness.
During the trial, court heard that Elbettah retrieved the weapon from his nearby residence, took it into the restaurant and used it to strike Burns in the neck, causing his death.
Following the verdict, Burn’s father said he was pleased with the verdict.
The justice was expected to sentence the accused after victim impact statements are read into court late Thursday.
