Judge declares killer must serve 10 years before eligible for parole

Man ‘ lost it’, stabbed Second World War veteran 130 times in 2004

A 65- year- old man who was convicted last year of murdering a 79- year- old man must serve 10 years of a life sentence before he is eligible for parole.

B. C. Supreme Court Justice Gail Dickson imposed the parole eligibility period Monday on George William Holt, who killed Reginald Haynes in 2004 by stabbing him 130 times at a hotel in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Holt was convicted by a jury last November of the seconddegree murder of Haynes, a Second World War veteran.

Crown prosecutor Geordie Proulx had urged the judge to impose a 14- year parole ineligibility period. The defence asked for the 10- year minimum to be imposed.

Holt said in an earlier interview with The Vancouver Sun that the victim had asked him to perform oral sex, offering to pay Holt $ 50. Holt said he “lost it.” Seven of the 12 jurors recommended that Holt should serve at least 15 years before he is eligible for parole, one juror recommended Holt serve 20 years, two recommended he serve the minimum 10 years and two left it up to the judge.

Second- degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence with no parole for 10 to 25 years.

The trial judge had to weigh whether the nature of the crime and Holt’s background would warrant an increased parole ineligibility period.

The judge also had to consider the advanced age of the killer.

The trial heard evidence that Holt and Haynes were both living at the Columbia Hotel at the time of the Aug. 27, 2004 murder, which went unsolved for years.

Holt’s blood was found in Haynes’ room, but he denied being involved, blaming the crime on two other men.

After the case stalled, Vancouver police detectives decided to dust off the file and finally solved it in 2009, when Holt was arrested at his home in New Westminster.

At trial, expert pathologist Dr. Charles Lee testified that the victim suffered from approximately 130 stab wounds and cutting injuries.

Holt testified that he was high on cocaine at the time Haynes asked him to perform oral sex.

“I started to lose it because I have a fear of homosexuals,” the killer told the jury.

He testified he didn’t remember stabbing him.

The Crown called as witnesses the two men whom Holt had initially blamed for the murder. Both denied any involvement.

The men voluntarily provided DNA samples to police in 2009, which cleared them as suspects.

The jury rejected Holt’s defence, which was a combination of lack of intent due to cocaine intoxication and provocation.