An Etobicoke man who brutally stabbed his mother and father to loss of life and attempted to stab his brother to loss of life, and when that failed, tried to pin the murders on him, has been sentenced to life in jail.
Superior Court Justice Joan Barrett has given Alpha Henry a parole ineligibility interval of 17 years after discovering him responsible of the second-diploma murders of his mother and father Colin and Veronica Henry, to be served concurrently with a 14-yr sentence for the attempted homicide of his brother, Daniel Kwame Henry.
Alpha, 32, confirmed no emotion Friday as Barrett reviewed the disturbing info of the case and identified that had Daniel not fought again, he might need met the identical destiny as his mother and father.
“In this case, the offences are brutal in nature. The accused moral blameworthiness is significant and given he has shown no insight into his offending behaviour, his rehabilitative potential is little,” Barrett mentioned.
On Sept. 21, 2022, at round 1:40 a.m., police have been known as to Unit 417 at 27 Bergamot Ave. within the Etobicoke space of Toronto, the place they discovered Alpha contained in the unit.
The lifeless our bodies of Veronica Henry, 67, and her husband Colin Henry, 68, have been discovered within the bathtub.
After a choose-alone trial, Barrett discovered that Alpha had murdered each mother and father by repeatedly stabbing them to loss of life in their very own dwelling. In addition to knife wounds, Veronica had blunt drive accidents to her face, together with a fracture to her nasal bone.
Alpha then dumped his mother and father’ lifeless our bodies within the bathtub one on prime of the opposite, then doused their our bodies in gasoline.
After trying to clear up the residence, he messaged his brother from his mom’s cellphone and requested him when he can be getting back from a piece journey overseas. His brother labored as a flight attendant for Air Canada.
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“When he learned he was not due to return until the next day, he made the most of his time,” Barrett mentioned in her causes for sentence. “With the apartment clean, he stole cash he found in the apartment. He sought the services of a sex worker before returning to the apartment with pizza.”
Barrett informed court docket that Alpha additionally returned to the residence with a plan to ambush his brother, which failed as a result of Daniel fought again.
“Alpha pivoted and cast the blame for the murders on his brother. The police quickly realized the ruse and released Daniel Henry unconditionally,” Barrett mentioned, noting that Daniel was by no means charged.
Alpha, who didn’t testify at trial, was 28 years previous on the time. Court heard that he grew up in a secure, non secular household.
Colin and Veronica have been energetic members of the Kingsview Village Seventh-day Adventist Church and faith was an necessary a part of their on a regular basis life.
In a sufferer influence assertion learn out in court docket, Janet Bernard, a buddy of the Henrys, recalled how Colin was a deacon and Veronica was a neighborhood service chief who repeatedly volunteered on the church meals financial institution. The couple have been avid gardeners who maintained a backyard on the church property. Colin donated the meals they grew.
“They gave so much of themselves but asked for nothing in return,” Bernard wrote.
Veronica’s nephew Alton Dikey wrote in his sufferer influence assertion that his aunt was a really superb individual. He mentioned his aunt taught him concerning the significance of forgiveness however mentioned that Alpha ought to be punished for his crimes.
“I ask the accused, think of how your actions have impacted the family,” he wrote. “We will never get my dear Aunt Veronica and her beloved husband Colin back. This was a tragic act. There is no winner. My aunt will be deeply missed but forever loved,” Dikey wrote.
Yvonne Henry D’Avalir, Colin’s sister, wrote in her sufferer influence assertion that the homicide of her brother, the youngest of seven siblings, has perpetually impacted the household.
“Colin would supply my family with vegetables. On a daily basis, I ask myself why this incident had to happen. What happened to them is unforgettable because they deserved to be here with us. Our family is not the same knowing how they were taken. I hope there will be justice,” Henry D’Avalir wrote.
Barrett famous that Alpha has had some previous encounters with the legislation however no prior legal report. At the time of the stabbings, he was estranged from his household and had been since May 2021.
“His mother found him temporary housing, but he appeared to have been homeless from May 2021,” Barrett mentioned.
“He continues to deny responsibilities for the offences and maintains that his brother is the perpetrator. He believes the court has misinterpreted the circumstantial evidence,” Barrett defined, including that he has declined his statutory proper to tackle the court docket earlier than the passing of the sentence.
Barrett famous that Daniel has not returned to work within the aviation trade for the reason that murders. She mentioned that though his bodily accidents have been minor from the battle for the knife with Alpha, the emotional and psychological hurt is little question extreme.
“Daniel has been left with no family and initially was falsely accused of murder,” she mentioned.
The choose mentioned mitigating circumstances embrace the truth that Alpha had some psychological well being challenges on the time, was homeless, is a younger Black man and has no prior report.
Barrett mentioned that however for Daniel’s potential to overpower his brother, this is able to have been a deliberate and deliberate first-diploma homicide.
“He went to Canadian Tire, purchased a knife set and sharpener. He then chose the largest and laid in wait to ambush his brother. The attack was carried out with much determination and ferocity,” Barrett mentioned.
Alpha has spent roughly three-and-a-half years in jail since his arrest in September 2022 and will probably be eligible for parole in September 2039.
