Last of Mac student Johnson’s killers sentenced to eight years in prison
Louis Rebelo was found guilty of manslaughter
A Hamilton man convicted of manslaughter in the killing of McMaster University student Tyler Johnson in 2013 has been sentenced to eight years in penitentiary.
Louis Rebelo, 30, is the last of four men to be sentenced in the case.
On Monday, Rebelo was given credit for the time spent in custody awaiting trial and sentencing, so he has only another three years left to serve.
The other three involved in the killing — Chad Davidson and brothers Brandon and Joshua Barreira — were convicted by a jury in May of first-degree murder and were each sentenced to life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole for 25 years.
They and Rebelo were tried together. Rebelo was the only one convicted of the lesser crime of manslaughter.
Johnson was in his fourth year of engineering and planned to do his masters in the subject, court heard.
Outside court, Dorothy Barron, Johnson’s great aunt, said the last four years were very hard on Johnson’s mother Linda, and she died 10 days after the jury reached its verdict on the four men back in May. Tyler was Linda’s only child.
Nancy Swain, a good friend of Linda Johnson, said “We know we lost Linda because they not only took one life, but two. The stress of losing your only child took its toll on Linda and she paid the highest price of all. She passed fighting for justice for her son.”
Rebelo’s lawyer Greg Dorsz had earlier argued his client should get five years and then be immediately released because he had already spent more than the equivalent of that in custody. He called Rebelo a hard-working, loving, and loyal young man who was a contributing member of society, being an excellent labourer and providing financially for his family.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Rebelo was loyal to a fault,” he said, adding Rebelo grew up with the Barreira brothers in the North End.
Prosecutor Kathy Malkovich had called for a 10-year sentence, saying Rebelo, who was acquainted with Johnson, played an integral role in the murder. “But for Mr. Rebelo stopping Tyler and acting as a decoy, Tyler would be alive today,” she said.
She said Rebelo also got rid of evidence by destroying his cellphone’s sim cards and his clothes from that night in case they contained gunshot residue, she said.
Court heard Rebelo had no previous criminal record, but he was out on bail for assault at the time of the murder. He is a permanent resident in Canada, having come here from Portugal as a young child with his family. The conviction could lead to deportation when he is released. Rebelo, dressed in a suit, addressed the court from the prisoner’s box, saying he was truly sorry for the Johnson family’s loss, but added, “What happened was not in my control, as God is my witness.”
Rebelo’s family was in the courtroom and silently shed tears while one woman sobbed loudly on hearing the sentence. None of them would comment outside court.