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John McRae found guilty in son's killing

John McRae, 73, has been found guilty in the death of his son, Michael McRae, found stabbed in the apartment the two men shared in 2015.

Michael McRae, 51, found stabbed in 2015 in the apartment he shared with his father

CBC News ·
John McRae has been found guilty of second-degree murder. (Lauren Foster-MacLeod/CBC)

John McRae, 73, has been found guilty in the death of his son, Michael McRae, found stabbed in 2015 in the apartment the two men shared.

A jury returned a unanimous verdict at the Ottawa courthouse on Thursday afternoon after deliberating for several days. 

Michael McRae, 51, was found on July 7, 2015. He'd been stabbed multiple times.

Paramedics rushed him to hospital, but he was pronounced dead.

John McRae, then 70, was charged with second-degree murder in his son's death. 

At Thursday's hearing he was seated on the front bench of the courtroom with a headphone earpiece pressed to his ear. Seated beside him was his daughter who wiped tears from her eyes.

Both McRae's daughter and his deceased son's girlfriend testified at the trial as defence witnesses, according to defence counsel Mash Frouhar.

McRae's defence argued during the trial that McRae stabbed his son in self defence, and said he was intoxicated at the time of the incident.

Mandatory life sentence

The offence carries a mandatory life sentence. A judge will decide on the period of parole ineligibility, which can vary from 10 to 25 years.

Nine of 12 jurors recommended the minimum ineligibility period of 10 years, while the remaining three made no recommendation.

McRae's defence lawyer asked that his client be sentenced immediately to avoid another night at the Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre. However the judge revoked bail and ordered McRae to remain in custody until a hearing on Wednesday, June 20.

At the time of Michael McRae's death neighbours told CBC the two men often argued.