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Saskatoon

Dallas Bird faces prison time for Elvis Lachance murder

A Saskatoon man will learn later this month how long he'll go to prison after pleading guilty to beating a man to death in jail.

Issue in sentencing is parole eligibility

CBC News ·
Dallas Bird arrives at court for a sentencing hearing. (Dan Zakreski/CBC)

Dallas Bird beat his cellmate Elvis Lachance for more than two hours, eventually killing him, because the young man was placed in a section of the Saskatoon Correctional Centre that Terror Squad members believed was their turf.

"God help me," Lachance said at one point.

"God's not here," Bird replied.

Court heard a list of abrasions, contusions and lacerations that Lachance suffered in the September 2012 assault before succumbing to a blow to the head.

Dallas Bird's post-murder Terror Squad tattoo across his torso. (Court of Queen's Bench)
The autopsy report noted hundreds of injuries from his head to his toes. Bird, almost twice victim's size, did not suffer any injuries.

Bird pleaded guilty to second degree murder. Prosecutor Melodi Kujawa said the attack was motivated by Bird getting instructed by other Terror Squad members to send a message to the rest of the jail population.

Over the course of the beating, Lachance was beaten against the cell door, toilet and beds.

The guilty plea is an automatic life sentence. The Crown wants no parole eligibility for 18 years. The defence is asking for 11 years.

Justice Ron Mills will give his decision June 24.

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