“Yes, yes!” whispered Clémence Beaulieu-Patry’s father, at the time of the verdict. After three days of deliberations, the jury found Randy Tshilumba guilty of the first-degree murder of Clémence Beaulieu-Patry. The same scenario as at the first trial, seven years ago.
The emotion was palpable in the courtroom of the Montreal courthouse. Randy Tshilumba, for his part, remained unmoved, as always. Even though this verdict means that he will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years.
The 27-year-old murderer stabbed Clémence Beaulieu-Patry in a Maxi supermarket in Montreal on April 10, 2016. A gratuitous murder committed in broad daylight in front of witnesses.
All this because Clémence Beaulieu-Patry had rejected the advances of her former classmate a few days earlier at the Maxi. Randy Tshilumba barely knew his victim. They were vague acquaintances from high school and had never met.
After the murder, Randy Tshilumba hid for hours in the women’s washroom of a Tim Hortons restaurant. He then changed into clothes he had brought in his bag. In the early morning, he took the bus to Cégep André-Laurendeau and hid his soiled clothes and his hunting knife in a locker.
His post-offence behaviour was central to the Crown’s case, as it showed a man in full possession of his faculties.
Randy Tshilumba hoped to be declared not criminally responsible because of his mental illness. Several psychiatrists testified at the trial. According to the accused’s account, he believed at the time that Clémence Beaulieu-Patry and her friends wanted to kill him. A surreal version.
As in the first trial, the defence of mental disorder was not retained by the jury, which was convinced beyond a reasonable doubt by the Crown’s evidence.
More details future.