A former B.C. Lions wide receiver was sentenced to 14 years in prison with no chance of parole for the second-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend on Friday.
"Have a good day," convicted killer Josh Boden said to her family as he was led from court.
Boden was found guilty last November in the 2009 killing of 33-year-old Kimberly Hallgarth in the Burnaby home she shared with her then-toddler daughter.
In earlier sentencing submissions, the court heard that Boden killed Hallgarth by stomping on her head and neck and then strangling her to death. He then poured pills into her mouth and stuffed socks in to cover up his crime to make it look accidental.
Crown prosecutor Brendan McCabe called the killing "absolutely shocking in nature" and said that the case's aggravating factors included that Boden had shown no remorse, moved the body and staged it, cleaned it up, and tore out Hallgarth's fingernails and removed items from the scene.
The Crown had requested 15 years, but B.C. Supreme Court Justice Arne Silverman knocked off a year for educational achievements Boden has made in the 3.5 years he's been in custody since his arrest.
The defence had sought 12 years.
'That man was a monster'
Family members cried as Silverman read his decision about the "terrible things" Boden did. He sat listening, hunched in the prisoner's dock.
Hallgarth's brother Jamie Errand said no sentence makes up for the loss of his sister.
"She had an infectious laugh," Errand said. "She loved people. If you were her friend, you were family. She is missed."
But, he added, "I'm very happy with the judgment handed down today. A very mean, dangerous man has been taken off the streets."
As for Boden's comment as he was led from court, Errand said, "It's not even a human being to me. That man was a monster."
Murder was motivated by resentment, court heard
Justice Barry Davies said Boden was motivated by continuing anger and resentment at Hallgarth, whom he blamed for losing his professional football career.
Boden went from playing football at North Vancouver's Carson Graham Secondary to a brief career as a wide receiver for the B.C. Lions in 2007.
McCabe said Hallgarth had sent former Lions' coach Wally Buono photos of her injuries.
Buono testified that Boden was dropped from the team in 2008 after Hallgarth called to tell him she had been assaulted.
A racial impact statement was prepared for the court detailing family violence and abuse, racial intolerance and sexual abuse Boden suffered. The Crown said, as Boden was the person from whom the information was taken for the report's preparation, it should have little weight.
Silverman agreed.
