‘I killed for this man,’ convict tells court

Murdered former boxer and friend Says accused hired him for slayings

A convicted killer yesterday repeatedly denied framing the man accused of hiring him to murder former Canadian boxer Eddie Melo.

“ I killed for this man . . . I never framed anybody,” Charles Gagne, 32, told a Brampton court during his second day on the stand. “ I took a life sentence to protect my family.”

Gagne, married with a young child, spent the day sparring with defence lawyer Brian Greenspan. The seasoned criminal lawyer attempted to pick apart the various plans that were discussed by what he described as the “ committee to kill Melo” leading up to the murder of Melo, 40, and his friend Joao ( Johnny) Pavao, 42, on April 6, 2001. Manuel ( Mike) DaSilva, 53, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first- degree murder in connection with the slayings.

Melo, sitting inside his Jeep Cherokee, and Pavao were killed in front of Amici’s Sports Café in Mississauga’s Cliffway Plaza while the two men were talking. Crown prosecutor Steve Sherriff alleges DaSilva hired Gagne under a $75,000 contract to murder Melo in order to settle a power struggle in Toronto’s Portuguese community, where Melo earned a living as a loan shark. Pavao was killed simply because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, court has heard.

Initially charged with two counts of first- degree murder, Gagne pleaded guilty to two counts of second- degree murder on Sept. 30, 2003. He still received a life prison sentence, but his parole ineligibility was set at 12 years instead of 25 in return for testifying against DaSilva. But Gagne refused to testify against co-conspirators Dejan Stoilov and Delio Pereira, court heard previously.

Greenspan described the deal with the Crown as a “ sweetheart deal,” but Gagne discounted that description, insisting parole board officials have already told him there was no chance he would ever be released in just 12 years or even be eligible for day parole in nine years, as required by Canadian law.

“ There’s no way they’re going to give me day parole when I killed two people while out on day parole,” Gagne told Greenspan. Gagne testified the Melo murder was planned for four months, mostly while he was out on weekend passes from a halfway house in Kingston, where he had been living since being granted parole for a 10year armed robbery prison sentence. Gagne previously admitted his goal was to become a respected hitman — a hired killer — for organized crime groups. Gagne said he was paid $ 50,000 for the murders, $ 10,000 of which he gave to Stoilov. He said DaSilva never paid him the remaining $25,000. Even though DaSilva reneged on the rest of the money, Gagne said he didn’t immediately turn on him because he hoped they would have a “ long- term relationship.” The trial continues today.