Johnston, whose brother owned a Bikram yoga studio in her hometown of Montreal, came to Halifax in 2011 with dreams of opening her own studio. "I just killed her by accident, just not even knowing what's going on." "I reached over and I turned on the lamp, and the person that was beneath me was Kristin and she was dead," said Butcher earlier this month, breaking into tears. Marnie Wood testified that Johnston's death was caused by sharp force injuries, and that she had "defensive injuries" on her hands and fingers.īut taking the stand in his own defence, Butcher argued that Johnston had attacked him, and that he was acting in self-defence when he killed her.īutcher - the defence's only witness - testified it was dark and he couldn't see who it was, but managed to grab the knife and lash out, realizing seconds later he had killed Johnston. These factors built up like a constellation until he decided that if he could not have Kristin Johnston, no one else could have her." he realized that the investment that he put into the relationship with Kristin Johnston deteriorated in a blink of an eye. It caused him significant upsets leading up to March 25, 2016," said Ball during her closing arguments Thursday, referring to Butcher's $200,000 debt from law school. He was highly educated, but underemployed. "This case is about a man who had significant financial challenges. In the early hours of March 26, Johnston was hanging out at an old friend's apartment when Butcher showed up there unexpectedly.įriends who were also there that night testified that Johnston and Butcher stepped outside together, and she came back in alone, telling them she had broken up with Butcher.īutcher returned to the apartment a second time, and found Johnston kissing her old friend, Michael Belyea.īall suggested Butcher stabbed Johnston to death and then tried to kill himself with the same knife before cutting off his right hand with a mitre saw. The Crown suggested that Butcher read some of those messages on the evening of Mawhen he accessed Johnston's computer, and realized Johnston wanted to end their relationship. The jury heard that in the weeks, days and hours leading up to her death, Johnston told friends she wanted to break up with Butcher. The Crown had argued Butcher deliberately killed Johnston, 32, after realizing their relationship was deteriorating. He also cut off his right hand with a mitre saw, but it was surgically reattached. The jury heard that he called 911 and told the dispatcher he had killed his girlfriend and tried to kill himself. Butcher was responsible."īutcher, a law school graduate who wasn't able to find work in his field, was living with Johnston at the time of her death. "In this case, the evidence was very clear that Mr. We can say that it's a tragic event for everyone involved," said Ball, standing alongside fellow prosecutor Tanya Carter. "Domestic violence is not something that is unusual, unfortunately. A hearing to determine Butcher's parole eligibility is scheduled for July 20.īutcher was charged with second-degree murder after police found Johnston's body next to a steak knife on a blood-soaked bed inside her Halifax-area home on March 26, 2016.Ĭrown lawyer Carla Ball said it's been a stressful two years for Johnston's family and friends, but "justice has been done. Friends of Johnston could be heard sniffling in the courtroom, as Butcher sat at his lawyer's bench and looked directly forward.Ī second-degree murder conviction carries an automatic life sentence. The 12-member Nova Scotia Supreme Court jury delivered its verdict Saturday after five hours of deliberation over two days.īutcher, 36, showed no emotion as the verdict was read. HALIFAX - A jury has found Nicholas Butcher guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Kristin Johnston, rejecting his claim that he was acting in self-defence when he stabbed the Montreal-born yoga instructor to death.
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