Victim killed by 'a monster who she loved,' best friend says at sentencing hearing

The mother of a young Calgary woman murdered nearly 20 years ago says she struggled to "emotionally survive" the trial, which ended with the victim's boyfriend being convicted of second-degree murder.

In 2002, Stéphane Parent fractured Adrienne McColl's skull before he strangled her.

Within hours, he fled Calgary on a one-way ticket and lived in the Ottawa area until the cold case was revived by new DNA evidence in 2018 and a charge of second-degree murder was laid.

Last month, Parent was found guilty of murdering McColl on Valentine's Day 2002.

Parent was supposed to be sentenced Monday but he fired his lawyers, and after initially declining one, opted to ask for a pre-sentence report.

"This is all bullshit," Parent told the judge.

The case will be back in court in the new year, so the sentencing hearing can proceed. A second-degree murder conviction comes with a life sentence with no parole for between 10 to 25 years.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Charlene Anderson proceeded Monday with having victim impact statements read from McColl's parents and her best friend.

'I've lost both my children'

The victim's father, Blair McColl, says his son Jason was so devastated by his sister's death that he turned to alcohol. 

Jason died in September 2020 after a long battle with his addiction.

"I've lost both my children to this," said Blair.

"If Adrienne had not been killed, Jason would be with me now. His pain was just too much."

McColl's mother said she was unable to attend the trial because of the trauma it forced her to relive. 

"The wound of her death was ripped wide open," said Thelma Trudeau.

Parent had just become homeless

McColl and Parent, 12 years her senior, began dating in 2000 when both worked at Studio 82, a southwest Calgary bar owned by the victim's stepdad.

According to one witness, Parent had a history of attacking his girlfriend. Once, on shift at the bar, he threw McColl across a desk and choked her.  

By February 2002, there were more cracks in the relationship. Both McColl and Parent were broke but things were turning around for the young victim.

She'd gotten a new job and was living with her stepfather.

Parent had recently become homeless and was living in his car.

Prosecutor Shane Parker suggested during the trial that Parent was motivated by rage when he killed McColl.

DNA, fingerprint evidence

On Valentine's Day 2002, after she was beaten and strangled, Parent dumped McColl's body in a ditch near Nanton, Alta.

His fingerprint was on one of the garbage bags found with her body.

"Her body was thrown into a cold snowy ditch as if she was a piece of garbage," said Blair McColl.

"Adrienne hated the cold."

Parent then drove the stepfather's car to the airport and booked a one-way ticket to Ottawa. 

'Taken by a monster who she loved'

Parent's jeans were found in the airport parking lot. McColl's blood was on the pant leg.

Jurors took just two hours to deliver their verdict after hearing two weeks of evidence.

No defensive wounds were found on McColl's body. 

Shandi Bard, McColl's best friend, said in her victim impact statement that the guilty verdict meant "Adrienne's voice was finally heard."

"She was taken by a monster who she loved," said Bard.