Quinte Consolidated courthouse in Belleville. (Photo: Nicole Kleinsteuber / Quinte News)
Ronald Shorey will be sentenced in the New Year after being found guilty Monday of manslaughter in the death of Cindy Sullivan.
On Monday, Justice Robert Scott said he was not satisfied with the evidence provided by Assistant Crown Attorneys Paul Layefsky and Pardeep K. Bhachu claiming Shorey had the intent to cause Sullivan’s death and therefore should be found guilty of second degree murder.
Shorey’s trial began in November, where he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, admitting he caused 40-year-old Sullivan’s death in August 2012 in his home at 29 Adrian Court in Trenton during a night of heavy drinking. His plea was rejected and he was tried on second degree murder.
During the trial, court heard how Shorey and Sullivan, who also lived in the Adrian Court complex were in an ‘unstable relationship’ that consisted of heavy drinking. They separated in the days leading up to Sullivan’s death.
Evidence would show that Sullivan died in Shorey’s bedroom during the early morning hours on August 16 after being beaten and stabbed in the chest and neck.
A search for Sullivan soon followed with her body being discovered on August 17 after Shorey called police to come to his home. Evidence would also show that police had made a visit to Shorey’s home prior with him stating Sullivan had left the night before.
During his submissions, defence lawyer Pieter Kort said Shorey’s actions were due to a combination of heavy alcohol consumption, provocative statements made to Sullivan on that fateful night along with a brain injury suffered years ago.
Shorey also maintained he had no recollection of Sullivan’s death.
Shorey sat perfectly still in the prisoner’s box Monday, staring straight ahead and offering no emotion while the verdict was read.
Justice Scott said when considering all of the evidence and deciding intent, he looked at self defence, the effects of alcohol, provocation and post offence conduct. Out of the 30 witnesses who testified, Scott said the best evidence came from Quinte West OPP.
Scott said it’s post offence conduct that can really determine a person’s guilt pointing to how Shorey had a credible connotation to it.
He explained how officers at the scene said Shorey was relaxed while Sullivan’s body was inside the apartment.
“There was no direct evidence that he attempted to clean the scene,” said Scott. ‘There was no attempt to hide anything. There was literally no smoking gun.”
Scott concluded Sullivan’s death was needless and tragic.
Sentencing is set for January 4 at 9:30 a.m.
