Life in prison for Moncton man guilty of murdering fellow patient at psychiatric hospital

A Moncton man has beensentenced to life in prison for killing a patient at a hospital in northern New Brunswick.

Justice Thomas Christie of Campbellton's Court of King's Bench delivered the decision Thursday to a nearly empty courtroom.

Jordan Shawn Deyoung, who was present in court, won't be eligible for parole for 12 years.

The 27-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after the violentbeating Ronald Savoy two years ago.

Both Deyoung and Savoy were patients at the Restigouche Hospital Centre, which provides long-term psychiatric rehabilitation, when the incident happened in November 2022.

According to security footage from the hospital, Deyoung assaulted Savoy to the pointof unconsciousness in a hospital room. Savoy died of his injuries a few weeks later.

Second-degree murder is a charge that carries an automatic life sentence.

In his sentencing, Christie said he considered several factors to set the length of time before Deyoung would be eligible for parole, includingwhat he deemed theunprovoked nature of the attack.

According to the statement of facts, Deyoung assaulted Savoy until he fell to the floor. Deyoung then left and went into another room with another patient. Shortly after, he returned and continued to assault Savoy, who was unconscious.

Christie said it was impossible for him not to consider the fact that the attack happened in two phasesand that Deyoung "sort of picked up where, some might say, he left off."

Ongoing sentence extends parole period

According to statements made by both the defence and the crown Thursday, Deyoung is currently serving a two-year sentence for two counts of robbery.

The charges are what led him to be admitted to the Restigouche Hospital Centre for a psychiatric evaluation.

According to Deyoung's defence lawyer, Alison Mnard, his sentence for those charges is set to end in 2025.

Christie said Deyoung's parole ineligibility period would only begin once the current sentence is complete.

Mnard said she does not expect Deyoung to appeal the decision.

Allain read part of a victim impact statement on behalf of Savoy's mother, who was not in court.

She said she lost her best friend, that it has been hard for her to cope with the loss of her son, and that there is not a day that goes by where she does not think of him.

Savoy was 49 years old when he died.