Nova Scotia Supreme Court/HANTSHEROES PHOTO

By Bob Mackin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Judge remarks on killer’s lengthy criminal record, with his longest sentence handed down in Smithers

Dec 28, 2024 | 7:06 AM

SMITHERS B.C. — A man whose coast-to-coast criminal record, which includes offences in Smithers, was sentenced to just over two years in jail after pleading guilty in Nova Scotia Supreme Court to a 2019 manslaughter.

Joseph Frederick Evong made the plea bargain 13 days into his first degree murder trial in fall 2023. When the sentencing finally came down Dec. 12, Justice Joshua Arnold called the death of Stephen Rose, who was stabbed 147 times, “horrendous.”

Evong’s co-accused Jessica Ann MacDonald removed Rose’s finger and placed it in his mouth. Rose was found with a belt tied around his neck.

Arnold said mitigating factors included that Evong was drunk during the incident and did not inflict the fatal wound during a knife fight with Rose. Also, Evong entered a guilty plea, had a difficult childhood, has various mental health conditions and has struggled with alcoholism.

“Mr. Evong has a serious criminal record, reflecting years of repetitive antisocial behaviour,” Arnold said.

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The judge said Evong has been convicted 22 times in six communities across five provinces, including seven times for breaching court orders, two robbery convictions, and one each for assault causing bodily harm in Edmonton, indignity to a dead body in Orangeville, Ont., common assault and possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to the public.

Evong’s longest prior sentence was set in April 2014 in Smithers: 644 days plus two years probation and a mandatory 10-year weapons prohibition for robbery and mischief under $5,000.

“This is a significant record for an accused who is only 41 years of age at present,” Arnold said.

Arnold said the appropriate sentence for Evong would be 12 years. However, he gave Evong a 27-month credit for the guilty plea, bringing it to nine years and nine months.

The subtraction did not stop there. Due to pre-sentence remand, Evong put seven years and seven-and-a-half months credit towards that sentence, resulting in what Arnold called a “go forward” time in federal prison of two years, one month and 15 days.