N.S. court to decide if Cape Breton man was killed by stabbing, strangulation — or both
Autopsy shows Stephen Rose was stabbed 147 times, but was also found with belt and bruising around his neck
WARNING: This story contains graphic content.
Two people from Cape Breton have admitted to manslaughter in the death of Stephen Rose nearly five years ago, but a Nova Scotia Supreme Court justice will have to decide if Rose died from strangulation or stabbing, or both, before one of them can be sentenced.
Jessica Anne MacDonald and Joseph Evong originally faced first-degree murder trials after Rose was killed in November 2019.
According to court testimony, he was found in a Sydney apartment covered in blood and with a belt around his neck.
A medical examiner's report said Rose had been stabbed 147 times.
The details had been under a publication ban, but with MacDonald and Evong pleading guilty to manslaughter, the case is now coming to light.
According to testimony, all three had been drinking heavily and Rose and Evong had started to fight with knives.
Accused each admit one stabbing
MacDonald said she tried to stop them and admitted she stabbed Rose in the back of the neck once.
However, the autopsy report said he had 17 wounds in the back of the neck and 52 in the back just below the neck.
Evong also admitted to stabbing Rose once in the liver, which the medical examiner testified was not a fatal wound.
The autopsy report said any one of the 17 neck wounds would have been fatal and the belt and neck bruising indicated strangulation is also a cause of death.
But Evong's lawyer is contesting the strangulation finding and other facts.
Justice Joshua Arnold will have to rule on the police and medical examiner's evidence before Evong can be sentenced in December.
MacDonald sentencing next week
Arnold heard some of that testimony at a pre-sentence hearing for Evong last week in Sydney and ruled on a virtual hearing for victim impact statements that upset some of Rose's family members.
His decision is not expected to affect MacDonald's case.
She is set for sentencing next week, when an agreed statement of facts will be presented in court.
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