Jealous man pleads guilty to killing girlfriend in Leamington

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A refugee claimant in Honduras admitted killing his close companion in Lemington in a battle after he discovered cell phone communications with another man.

David Espinoza Montes, 40, pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder on September 29, 2022. Shermaine Carling, 33, stabbed to death in a small bedroom on their Mill Street home.

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Montes faces a future sentencing hearing, when the court will hear a victim impact statement. High Court Justice Joseph Perfetto ordered a pre-verdict report.

Montes was sentenced to automatic life in prison for his crime, but the judge must determine how long he was imprisoned before he was eligible for parole. For secondary murders, the range is between 10 and 25 years. Assistant Crown Attorney Jayme Lesperance told the court that the prosecution and defense would jointly recommend.

Carling, a mother of two, immigrated from the Philippines to Canada in 2016 for employment purposes, leaving behind the mother of two to take care of. She was employed at a food processing plant in nearby Wheatley. She shared her children by sending money to her family (with her ex-husband, not Montes).

Earlier the day she was killed, Carlin drove Montes to a walk-in clinic in Leamington, where he provided a prescription that “helps stress or anxiety”, which led to poor sleep and mild depression.

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Montes then went to their shared employment location with a colleague who worked with him for Spanish translation. He left work early and returned home to rest. Karin was sleeping in their shared bed at the time, and when she woke up after 5:21 pm, she went to the bathroom and got her cell phone.

A verbal struggle followed by an agreed statement of facts, and Montes “previously suspected Ms. Carlin had another relationship with another man.” He faced her “in such a suspicious relationship or possible infidelity.” She then confirmed that she was communicating with others and showed Montes the content of her stored mobile chat.

According to the agreed statement of fact, “this argument has been escalated.”

At that time, Montes grabbed “two different sharp objects” and began stabbing Karin.

This is a cruel attack. According to the autopsy report, the victim suffered 48 stabbings, resulting in blood loss, including major bleeding from the injury to the carotid artery and right lung.

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According to investigators, colleagues received a social media message from Montes in Spanish “I Killed Her” at 5:24 p.m.

About the same time, Montes left the house and met his landlord, who later told policeman Montes was “full of blood” and admitted to killing his girlfriend. It was about 5:30 pm, and Montes “towed himself to the ground.” The landlord called 911, and Montes was on the ground until police arrived.

Inside, Ontario police found the victim in a pool of blood, with a pair of bloody scissors beside her head. A large kitchen was also restored with broken blades on it.

“David Espinoza Montes is the individual who caused all these stabs to Ms. Carlin on September 29, 2022,” a statement of facts signed by Crown and defense attorneys and the defendants themselves concluded.

“The facts talk to themselves,” defense attorney Patricia Brown told the judge.

Montes has conducted an inspection and was found to be criminally responsible for his actions. He sat between the lawyer and the Spanish interpreter, answering simply and quietly: “Yes” (yes), the judge’s question of his understanding of what he pleaded for.

Brown told the court that his conviction also had “immigration consequences.” Prior to this crime, Montes sought refugee status in Canada and did not have a valid work permit in September 2022.

dschmidt@postmedia.com

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