The family of a woman murdered in Chatham last summer had very emotional victim impact statements for the judge tasked with sentencing the man responsible for her death.
Stephen Thompson, 43, pleaded guilty to second degree murder, but not guilty to first degree murder in Chatham Superior Court July 4, 2023.
Thompson was in an intimate relationship with victim Cynthia Sitzes, 44, of Bothwell for about four months before she was stabbed to death 21 total times on July 1, 2022 at a Bedford Street apartment in Chatham. Her body was discovered three days later at Thompson's apartment.
On Monday, Cynthia's mother Diane Dionne told the court that July will never be the same as it was Cynthia's birthday month and the month of her untimely murder.
An emotional Dionne, accompanied by her husband, said Cynthia was her precious baby, but died alone because the family didn't know where she was.
"You are truly my world. A piece of my heart left when she died," said Diane Dionne. "You were my rock, my life, my sunshine. You will always be in our hearts until we meet again one day."
Cynthia's younger sister Nadia said she grieves everyday and told the court she missed Cynthia, adding she feels pain, sadness, and sorrow.
Cynthia's other younger sister Jessica Dionne also read an emotional impact statement out loud to the court saying "her heart was struck by a dagger" when she heard Cynthia was murdered, describing her older sister as kind, her best friend and like a second mother to her.
"The curtain closed on you well before it was supposed to," said Jessica Dionne.
Thompson will be sentenced to life in prison in December. The defence is looking for 13 years before he's eligible for parole, while the prosecution wants him to spend at least 16 years behind bars before he can apply for parole.
The judge will hand down his sentencing decision on December 5, 2023 after he reflects and reviews the pre-sentence report.
The court heard Thompson had a lengthy prior criminal record with 26 convictions, including two for assault.
Defence lawyer Ken Marley told the court his client has expressed remorse for his actions and saved the justice system valuable court time by pleading guilty and not having a trial and waving a preliminary hearing.
Thompson chose not to speak at the end of the hearing.