A Sarnia man pleaded guilty to manslaughter Friday in the stabbing death of another man over an argument involving the purchase of pot.
Matthew Theriault, originally charged with second-degree murder in a violent altercation in the spring of 2019, entered a plea to the lesser charge in the Superior Court of Justice.
Jesse Mowat-Caudle (SmithFuneralHome.ca)
In an agreed statement of facts, court was told Theriault and the victim, 26-year-old Jesse Mowat-Caudle, got into an argument over the purchasing of marijuana while at a residence near Maxwell Street and St. Vincent Street the afternoon of April 17, 2019.
Theriault, who was 30 at the time, later grabbed a kitchen knife before both men left the residence and went out onto Maxwell Street where the argument continued.
Court heard that Theriault then stabbed Caudle twice, leaving him with critical injuries -- Caudle died in London hospital early the next morning.
Theriault had suffered cuts to his left hand during the altercation, and was taken into custody after telling police he didn't intend to hurt Caudle and was acting in self-defence.
After hearing the statement of facts, Justice Bruce Thomas accepted the guilty plea and remanded Theriault in custody to January 12, 2021 for sentencing.
-With files from Dave Dentinger