By Spencer Sterritt

McDougald sentenced to life in prison for murdering son

Sep 29, 2015 | 1:08 PM

After two years of waiting and just two days for trial and sentencing, the McDougald family’s nightmare is over.

Larry McDougald, on trial for the murder of his son Terry, who died in October of 2013, was sentenced to life imprisonment with eligibility for parole after 10 years.

That number was cut down to only eight years, however, as the two years he’s already served will go against his parole eligibility, not his sentence.

The court room was filled with family members.

Terry’s widow Sherrie Bear was in attendance, but his three sons were not. Sherrie was joined by Terry’s brothers, mother, and extended family.

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Many filed victim-impact statements, but declined to share them. 

Defense council George Combe said Bear was satisfied Larry knew how much damage he had caused to the family.

Before sentencing, lawyers shed light on the events leading up to the incident.

The relationship between Larry and Terry had been tense. In 2009, Combe alleged that Terry had entered Larry’s property and taken two trucks.

Both parties had taken their dispute to civil court. In Sept. 2013, their lawyers had decided mediation was the best option, which both Larry and Terry agreed too at the time.

A month later, Terry entered Larry’s property with friends on Oct. 28 and 29 to retrieve vehicles, when they believed Larry was not home.

In the early hours of Oct. 30 2013, Larry found Terry and his friends in the process of taking the vehicles, and the incident occurred.

McDougald declined make an official statement, simply saying, “There’s nothing I can do to bring Terry back.”

Two weeks had been set aside for the trial. McDougald surprised the courts by abruptly pleading guilty to second-degree murder on Mon. Sept. 28.

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit