Calgary

Calgary man killed friend in front of family during 4-day meth binge

Four days into a crystal meth binge, Deibi Monterroso Salazar pepper-sprayed his home and, in front of his family, fatally stabbed a close friend who cried out, "Why are you doing this?" and "Stop, bro!"

Humberto Panameno yelled, 'Why are you doing this?' and 'Stop, bro!' as his close friend stabbed him to death

Deibi Monterroso Salazar, left, killed his friend Humberto Panameno while the two were on a four-day meth binge with Monterroso Salazar's wife, Karen. (Calgary Police Service)

Four days into a crystal meth binge, Deibi Monterroso Salazar fatally stabbed a close friend in front of his family after pepper-spraying his home.

Originally charged with second-degree murder, Monterroso Salazar pleaded guilty on Friday to manslaughter and assault with a weapon after a plea was negotiated by defence lawyer Adriano Iovinelli and prosecutor Mike Ewenson.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice David Gates accepted the guilty plea. The crime was detailed in a court document, which was read aloud by Ewenson as part of the guilty plea.

Humberto Panameno was killed in November 2017. He had been living in a basement apartment in the city's southeast with Monterroso Salazar, as well as the killer's wife and children at the time.

As Panameno was being stabbed, he yelled, "Why are you doing this?" and begged his friend to "Stop, bro."

The trio was using crystal meth on a daily basis and, in the months leading up to the November 2017 killing, Monterroso Salazar began acting paranoid, according to the facts of the case.

The meth binge

The night before Panameno was killed, the three stayed up all night doing drugs, court heard.

"This was the fourth or fifth day of a methamphetamine binge for the three individuals," reads the agreed statement of facts.

Karen Monterroso Salazar's mother arrived the morning of Nov. 15, 2017, to pick up her grandchildren for a visit.

When she arrived, her daughter, son-in-law and their friend were arguing. Monterroso Salazar then took a can of bear spray and sprayed it around the home.

Immediately after, while his wife and daughter were suffering the effects of the spray, Monterroso Salazar stabbed his friend 11 times in the chest and abdomen.

The victim tried in vain to fight off his attacker.

Monterroso Salazar's wife and her mother also tried to stop the attack but Monterroso Salazar stabbed his wife in the chaos.

After Monterroso Salazar left the home, Karen called 911 but Panameno was dead by the time paramedics and police arrived.

Monterroso Salazar wasn't arrested until the next day, when police found him on a rural property east of the city.

A pre-sentence report has been ordered and the killer is set to be sentenced by Gates later this year.