Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of 18 year old from Red Deer, Alta.

Aerial view of Downtown Red Deer (Photo By Waynercook – Own work, Public Domain)

RED DEER, Alta. — A Calgary teenager’s murder trial was called off after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a man in Red Deer, Alta., two years ago.

Levi Marance, 18, was stabbed multiple times with a chisel at an apartment building on July 19, 2015.

He was rushed to hospital but later died from his injuries.

On Monday, a 19-year-old accused, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, entered the plea.

Another accused, Jessie Copenace, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in March and was sentenced in September to seven years, with credit for time served.

According to an agreed statement of facts, there were several people in the suite drinking and doing drugs when an altercation erupted.

Marance was stabbed and slashed 35 times. Court was told the 19-year-old laughed about the incident when he was arrested, saying he hoped the person died.

On Monday, defence lawyer Kim Ross said his client is remorseful and his attitude has changed since that day.

“He obviously wishes this event would never have occurred but he is stepping up and accepting responsibility and wishes to deal with this matter and move on,” said Ross.

The youth will now be sent for psychological testing and will be sentenced at the end of January.