An Edmonton man accused of killing an escort and burying her body in the backyard of his home, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Friday.
Matthew Todd Barrett received a life sentence and will be eligible for parole in 13 years. The victim's family said the Crown should have gone to trial to argue premeditation.
"He had an opportunity to walk away, and he didn't," said Chantel's uncle, Tim Robertson. He came back, choked her, killed her and then threw her away."
Barrett did stand up in court and apologized for his actions, but Chantel's father, Mike, said the family cannot forgive the man that took his daughter's life.
Barrett's father said he feels for the Robertson family, particularly Chantel's father.
"I'm a dad, he's a dad, his loss is as great as my loss, " said Gordon Barrett. "I can go talk to my son on the telephone, I can go visit him, he doesn't have that privilege."
The court heard that Barrett called an escort service on June 28th back in 2008 and 20-year-old Chantel Robertson arrived at his door around 2:30 a.m.
Barrett paid $350 for a sex service and as Robertson was getting ready to leave, Barrett grabbed her and started to strangle her.
The woman passed out and Barrett grabbed four twist ties from his kitchen and put them around her neck for nearly a half an hour.
Barrett then tossed her body out the window of his home and starts to dig a shallow grave in his backyard with a crowbar and a dustpan. Barrett then places the woman into the hole.
The court also heard that when confronted by police, Barrett drew a map of where the woman's body was placed in the yard.
Police also found bags of her clothing, a wallet, his clothes and bedding along with the crowbar and dustpan. The items were all recovered from a second home that Barrett was in the process of moving into.
Prior to this incident, Barrett only had a juvenile record.
With files from David Ewasuk
