An Ottawa man who was found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of man in Gatineau, Que., in 2020 has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Wally-Issaya Laguerre-Lamarre was the fourth suspect charged in the death of 31-year-old Ryan Bracken, who was shot to death in Gatineau’s Hull sector on Dec. 11, 2020.
In Gatineau on Tuesday, Judge François Dadour described how Bracken was shot in the head near his tattoo studio on rue Eddy.
“Ryan Bracken was a young adult, father of a 6-year-old daughter and stepfather of a 13-year-old daughter. They will be deprived for the rest of their lives of a father figure,” Dadour said during sentencing.
Laguerre-Lamarre was the last of the four suspects to receive his sentence. The other three pleaded guilty to related charges.
Isahiah Mballa-Paulotte and Donte Malik Strachan remain behind bars for about seven and two years respectively, while Tyann Strachan was released on probation after serving a 630-day sentence.
For Bracken’s mother Virginia Jakutavicius, Tuesday’s sentence marks the end of a difficult process that began with her son’s death nearly four years ago.
“Every person is responsible for their actions,” Jakutavicius wrote in a statement read in court by the Crown. “No sentence is going to bring my son back.”
She also wished Laguerre-Lamarre “the courage to move forward for his own good.”
Laguerre-Lamarre also made a brief speech, apologizing to Jakutavicius and mentioning his own daughters who will also be deprived of their father as a result of his actions.
“I am here for actions that are wrong. My apologies, again,” he said.