25-to-life for man convicted of murdering Edmonton father in brazen 2016 shooting

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The daughter of a man shot to death outside his apartment when she was 11 years old read a tearful victim impact statement to her father’s killer in an Edmonton courtroom Monday.

Dagmawi Admasu, 32, was given a mandatory life sentence after being convicted of the first-degree murder of Daniel Holly. Admasu will not be able to apply for parole for at least 25 years.

Holly, a 34-year-old garbage truck driver, was shot and fatally wounded by two pistol-wielding attackers on July 23, 2016. Holly and his common-law wife, who survived a gunshot wound to her forearm, were shot outside an apartment building at 432 Brintnell Blvd. around 9 p.m.

“I never got to learn the things you learn from your father,” Holly’s teenaged daughter said through tears. “The person I need most isn’t here and I will continue to struggle with not having a father for the rest of my life.”

Justice John Henderson convicted Admasu of first-degree murder, aggravated assault and discharging a firearm with the intent to evade arrest after a trial that concluded May 19.

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The scene of a July 23, 2016, shooting at 432 Brintnell Blvd. in which Daniel Holly was killed. Witnesses described two men shooting Holly and a woman as they walked to their car. Supplied image
The scene of a July 23, 2016, shooting at 432 Brintnell Blvd. in which Daniel Holly was killed. Witnesses described two men shooting Holly and a woman as they walked to their car. Supplied image jpg

No motive for the crime was offered by either the prosecution or the defence. Defence lawyer Clayton Rice called no evidence and Admasu did not testify.

The main issue during trial was the identity of the shooters. The defence argued the Crown had not established Admasu was one of the gunmen, while the Crown said the evidence proved Admasu’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Prosecutor Anders Quist noted Admasu had gunshot residue on the backs of his hands, and that he was arrested near a backpack containing two empty handguns, which were later matched to the rounds that killed Holly.

Subsequent testing found traces of Admasu’s DNA on both weapons.

First-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

On Monday, Henderson was left to determine how much Admasu deserved for the other two crimes.

The judge settled on four years for the aggravated assault on Holly’s wife, who was allowed to testify with her name under a publication ban out of fear for her safety.

The woman completed a photo line-up in hospital 16 hours after the shooting, identifying Admasu from a selection of mugshots. During trial, however, she recanted, claiming she was too disoriented to know what she was doing.

Henderson ultimately disbelieved the woman’s reversal, while the Crown raised the possibility the woman changed her testimony out of fear of reprisal.

The firearms charge dealt with a dramatic flight from police following the shooting, during which a suspect in a gold van spotted at the scene fired at a police cruiser containing two police officers and a civilian on a ride-along.

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Police investigate a van in a back alley near 130 Avenue and 87 Street. The van was seen driving away from a shooting that occurred earlier in the evening on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Edmonton.
Police investigate a van in a back alley near 130 Avenue and 87 Street. The van was seen driving away from a shooting that occurred earlier in the evening on Saturday, July 23, 2016 in Edmonton. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia

Henderson determined six years was the appropriate sentence for that offence.

The additional 10 years will be served at the same time as the life sentence. Henderson granted Admasu 2,700 days credit for time spent in jail prior to trial. His first chance at parole will be in 2041.

Admasu is not a Canadian citizen, meaning he will likely be deported to his home country of Ethiopia after completing his sentence. Court heard he came to Canada in 2007 and worked for a time in the oilfield. He has a prior criminal record for drug offences.

Holly’s daughter told court her dad “loved” his job and that every time she sees a garbage truck it reminds her of him.

“Every day I struggle with the thought that he isn’t here,” she wrote. “Some days I forget and come home thinking he is … going to be sitting in the living room waiting to ask me how my day was.”

In another victim impact statement, Holly’s sister said her brother was one of her favourite people.

“Daniel didn’t always make the right decisions, but he was kind, funny, hard-working and a loving person,” she wrote. “He was a husband, father, brother, uncle and son.”

“He was a good person,” she added. “This man (Admasu) that decided that his life wasn’t important enough has left a huge hole in our family.”

jwakefield@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jonnywakefield

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