A man who killed a Belgian tourist near Boston Bar in August 2018 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder this week and is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 19.
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| Amelie Christelle Sakkalis |
Sean McKenzie, 27, pleaded guilty in BC Supreme Court in New Westminster on Sept. 23 to killing 28-year-old Amelie Christelle Sakkalis.
Sakkalis was found near Highway 1 north of Boston Bar on August 22, 2018 at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Her death was immediately deemed a homicide, and less than a month after the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) took conduct of the investigation, McKenzie was arrested and charged.
“Amelie’s murder was a shock to the community and even for our seasoned investigators,” IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Frank Jang said in a press release. “A guilty plea speaks to the hard work and dedication of our investigators, as well it is important to acknowledge the support from our policing partners and the partnership with Crown counsel.”
One year ago there was an emotional scene in a Chilliwack courtroom as McKenzie had his first court appearance. More than a dozen friends and family members of McKenzie sat in the gallery, some crying.
The diminutive McKenzie looked at the group and mouthed a few words to someone.
• READ MORE: First court date in Chilliwack for man accused of murdering Belgian tourist
• READ MORE: Man accused of killing Belgian tourist along Highway 1 appears in court
McKenzie who is from Oliver, B.C., apparently travelled for his work, but he had no prior criminal record.
The sentencing hearing for McKenzie is scheduled for Nov. 19.
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