Howard Charles Kirby, 78, was accused of murdering his neighbor by shooting her in the back and was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter after jury deliberations Friday in Saint-Jerome.
Posted at 8:03 p.m.
The Brownsburg-Chatham man, near Lachute in the Laurentians, was charged with the first-degree murder of his 62-year-old neighbor Bonnie-Lyn Finnigan in the middle of the afternoon on October 14, 2020.
IMAGE FROM A VIDEO SUBMITTED AS EVIDENCE
Howard Kirby
According to the facts admitted by the parties, Bonnie-Lyn Finnigan died from a single shot in the back, a scene that was filmed since the victim had installed surveillance cameras in her apartment.
A friend who had probably arrived at the exact moment Bonnie-Lyn Finnigan was allegedly killed by her vengeful neighbor had notably testified for the prosecution.
According to Crown prosecutor Me Steve D. Fontaine's theory, which he presented in his opening statement to the jury, the defendant had decided that day to “satisfy his grudge against Bonnie-Lyn Finnigan” and was trying to “get away” without it Consequences.”
The trial took place before Judge Pierre Labrie.
With Louis-Samuel Perron, La Presse