Max Boudreau's killer sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 17 years
A Moncton man who admitted to killing another man nearly two years ago was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with no chance of being eligible for parole for another 15 years.
New Brunswick Court of King's Bench Justice Robert Dysart delivered his sentence for Justin Barrow in front of a courtroom packed with dozens of family and friends of Max Boudreau, whose body was found in a wooded area just outside Moncton in November 2022.
"This murder was heinous, violent and involved a high degree of brutality," Dysart said, in delivering his sentence.
"Mr. Barrow murdered Max Boudreau by striking him with his fists, cutting him repeatedly with a knife and by striking him numerous times with an ax."
Dysart's sentence is in keeping with a joint sentencing recommendation put forward by the Crown and defence counsels of life in prison with no parole eligibility for 17 years.
Barrow, however, has been in custody since November 2022, meaning he will be eligible to apply for parole in a little over 15 years.
Justin Barrow was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 17 years. (Facebook)
Second-degree murder comes with an automatic sentence of life in prison, but it is up to a judge to decide on a parole ineligibility period of at least 10 years, but no more than 25 years.
"While the nature of the crime in this case was barbaric … the character of the offender would suggest something in the middle range," said Dysart, noting that Barrow had no violent criminal record.
Emotional victim impact statements
Dysart's decision came shortly after family and friends of Boudreau delivered victim impact statements describing how their lives have been upended since his murder.
Lise Lamoureux, Boudreau's mother, said she's been living a nightmare since the death of her only son.
Lise Lamoureux, Max Boudreau's mother, said she's been living a nightmare since the murder of her son in November 2022. (Aidan Cox/CBC)
"I wake up every morning to the realization that this is not a bad dream. It's gut-wrenching and heartbreaking."
Rick Boudreau, his father, struggled to find words as he stood at a podium, staring down Barrow, who sat stone-face in the prisoner's box at the other end of the room.
"At 58 years old, this is all I've got left," said Boudreau, holding up a photo of his son.
"You'll get yours, one way or another," he said, speaking to Barrow.
Motive remains unknown
Following victim impact statements, Crown prosecutor Maurice Blanchard read out a statement of facts agreed to by the Crown and defence regarding what happened.
Blanchard said Boudreau was having a night out with friends, when he went to Angie's Show Palace, a strip club in Dieppe, in the early morning hours of Nov. 15, 2022.
Barrow worked as a DJ there, and was seen escorting Boudreau out of the club at around 3 a.m. that morning.
Boudreau was highly intoxicated by the end of the night, and left the club alone in a taxi, but was followed by Barrow, who was driving a black SUV.
After a short distance in the taxi, Boudreau was dropped off on Champlain Street as he was so intoxicated that he could not provide the driver with an address for his home.
He was then picked up by Barrow, who offered to drive him home.
Barrow drove with Boudreau to an undeveloped subdivision in Irishtown, where he slashed him in the neck with a knife, and hit him in the head with an axe.
The blows to Boudreau's head are what ultimately killed him, however, the reason for the attack remains unknown, Blanchard said.
"There's no evidence of any reason or explanation," Blanchard said. "This is extremely difficult for the family."
Speaking outside the Moncton courthouse, Boudreau's parents said they think there were aspects of the case that seem to have gone unexplored.
Rick Boudreau, Max Boudreau's father, said all he has left of his son is a photo of him that he brought to court to give a victim impact statement on Tuesday. (Aidan Cox/CBC)
Rick Boudreau noted the agreed statement of facts indicated Boudreau's body was found with his pants pulled down, and Barrow's DNA on his genitals.
"You never heard anything except a brutal murder," Boudreau said. "Nothing [more] was said. It's so frustrating."
Lamoureux said it seems there might have been sexual activity between the two men the night her son was murdered, however, she questions how that could have happened consensually.
"Consent comes with capability, so obviously he did not have proper capability to give consent for sexual activity," she said, noting that he was highly intoxicated that night.
Before being handed his sentence, Barrow was given the chance to address the court, but offered little in the way of an explanation as to why he killed Boudreau.
"I just want to say that this was a terrible tragedy. It should never have happened," he said.
"I apologize for any fear I put out in the community, and no means no."
