The man accused of the murder of Saguenéan Victor Masson in Mexico on May 15, 2023 was sentenced to 35 years of imprisonment, the victim’s family confirmed.
• Also read: The individual accused of the murder of Saguenéan Victor Masson in Mexico found guilty
The public prosecutor’s office reportedly recommended the maximum sentence provided by the state of Oaxaca, which is 40 years. The defense recommended the minimum sentence of 30 years.
The sentence pronounced by the judge is therefore halfway, i.e. a sentence of 35 years for “qualified homicide”.
The details of this decision will be given and explained to the Masson family by the judge himself on October 15, 2024. The defense will have 10 days to appeal from this date.
“Even if the legal proceedings are not really over, I see this as a respite from the series of difficulties that our family has experienced throughout the process, both in Mexico and in Canada,” Édouard Masson wrote in writing. , brother of the victim.
Despite confused emotions, the latter said he was relieved by the verdict, but also that “the energy invested in the process could have had some impact on this verdict”.
Defendant Mario Omar Sanginez Lopez was convicted by Mexican authorities last week. The attitude of the accused, who brought many smiles during the trial, also shocked the family.
According to lawyer Me Charles Cantin, who explained in an interview with TVA that the Mexican justice system has a reputation for corruption, for a similar crime in Canada, an accused could be eligible for parole in 25 years.
A sentence of 35 years, for him, would therefore be proof that the court examined the case carefully.
A long process for the family
The Attorney General of the State of Oaxaca announced the arrest of the suspect at the end of May 2023.
The legal process was painful and complex for the family.
Victor Masson, 27, was murdered after leaving a bar while on vacation in Puerto Escondido.
Four people, who were in the same bar as the Quebecer, grabbed his belongings before fleeing on a motorcycle.
In the middle of a pursuit while driving a car, Victor Masson called 911 to report a theft on two occasions. He then allegedly hit the motorcycle.
Once outside his vehicle, an altercation allegedly took place before he was hit with two firearm projectiles, around 1:45 a.m.
The main witness to the events was then killed and the lack of evidence made relatives fear the worst. A police officer also testified for the defense, but his testimony was excluded by the judge.
– With the collaboration of Jean Houle, TVA Nouvelles