Man who stabbed Leamington migrant worker girlfriend 48 times apologizes

A Honduran man who stabbed his migrant worker girlfriend 48 times says he's sorry, and he now knows how much he lost in what he calls "a moment of anger."

Sentencing submissions were heard on Thursday in the case of David Enrique Espinoza Montes, who killed his girlfriend Shermaine Carling in a Leamington rooming house on Sept. 29, 2022.

Espinoza Montes, 41, has been in custody since his arrest. On Thursday, he had the opportunity to address the judge.

"I had never been in prison in my life. This is my first time," he told the court through a Spanish interpreter. "I hope God will give me a second chance."

Espinoza Montes said that before the stabbing, he did not consider himself "a person who hurt other people."

He expressed his apologies to "God, the victim's family, to my family, and to the government of Canada."

According to the agreed upon statement of facts, Espinoza Montes killed Carling in a jealous rage when he learned that she was seeing another man.

The 48 stab wounds — which covered Carling's neck, torso, and back — were inflicted with a kitchen knife and a pair of scissors.

Assistant Crown attorney Nicole Stortini described the murder as "a prolonged and brutal attack."

The victim was "unarmed and defenceless, and in the sanctity of her own home. The assault was vicious," Stortini told the court.

Espinoza Montes did not leave the scene, and he surrendered himself immediately to attending police officers. Investigators found that he was not intoxicated, but he had recently sought treatment for insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Espinoza Montes has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The charge carries an automatic life sentence in Canada. A judge must decide the length of time of incarceration before eligibility for parole.

The Crown and Espinoza Montes' lawyer are jointly recommending 12 years of imprisonment before chance of parole. With the amount of time Espinoza Montes has already served, the recommendation would result in him being eligible for parole in 2034.

'This was a crime of passion'

Patricia Brown, Espinoza Montes' lawyer, said her client is "extremely remorseful," and has been spending his time in custody "engaged in significant self-reflection."

"This was a crime of passion," Brown said.

Brown acknowledged the community's concerns over what has been called an epidemic of intimate partner violence. "There is no excuse. He regretted it immediately."

The victim, Shermaine Carling, 33, was from the Philippines. She came to Essex County in 2016 to work in the food processing sector. She met Espinoza Montes in this region and they had been in a relationship since 2019.

According to a victim impact statement written by Carling's sister, Carling has two children in the Philippines who are now struggling with suicidal depression and behavioural issues.

Girlfriend was helping support her family

The court heard that Carling was diligent about sending money home to support her family, including her mother who has a diabetic condition.

Superior Court Justice Joseph Perfetto is expected to make a ruling on Espinoza Montes' sentence on July 23.

It's still not clear whether Espinoza Montes will remain in Canada.

He came to Canada from the Honduras under a foreign worker visa, but he had no status at the time of the crime: His visa had expired, and he was in the midst of a refugee application.

Brown said the possibility of deportation is a matter for the immigration courts, and it was not a factor in the joint sentencing recommendation.