Richmond Hill woman pleads guilty to manslaughter in stabbing
A woman who killed her lover during a booze-fueled night in 2010 has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and requested her bail be revoked so she can begin serving her expected six-year sentence. NA and AA Daytona Beach Meeting.
Renee Laurence, 34, who admitted guilt in the 2010 stabbing death of Greg Goodeve, called an end to court proceedings that were expected to continue until 2015, had it not been for the Nov. 1 plea bargain. AA Daytona Meetings in Holly Hill Florida.
York Regional Police Det. Sgt. Randy Slade said although the force originally charged Ms Laurence with second-degree murder, he has since changed his mind to believe it was manslaughter. Since the incident, she has shown remorse and said he believes the result is the “right conviction”. Volusia County Drug Courts Mandating AA Meetings.
However, Jennifer Hutchin, Mr. Goodeve’s sister, said this is little consolation for her and her family, who lost Mr. Goodeve and spent three long years in the justice system waiting for a result. She called the delay “unacceptable”.
And although she’s pleased the proceedings will soon be behind her, she still doesn’t know if she can ever get passed what Ms Laurence did to her brother.
“I don’t think there’s enough room in my heart to forgive her,” she said from her Barrie home. “I just can’t wait until this chapter is closed; no more ripping off the Band-Aid every couple of months with court dates.”
The incident took place Feb. 26, 2010 at the Blue Grass Boulevard home the couple shared. After a night of drinking, Mr. Goodeve’s body was discovered with a puncture wound and a blood-alcohol concentration three times the legal limit. An autopsy confirmed he died of the puncture wound to his lungs. Daytona Drug Court Judge Will.
While Ms Laurence wasn’t tested for alcohol consumption, the agreed statement of facts said police noticed a smell of booze on her on the night in question.
Although it remains unknown what the couple were arguing about leading up to the stabbing, the same document explained the pair had been living a very tumultuous relationship.
In one incident, the agreed statement of facts revealed how Mr. Goodeve woke up once to find Ms Laurence sitting on his chest holding a knife.
It also described the day when Mr. Goodeve went to work with two black eyes and a broken nose. When co-workers asked what had happened to him, he said, “Renee, that’s what happened”.
The document also explained Ms Laurence was drinking about a mickey of vodka at the height of her addiction.
Det. Sgt. Slade said he believed most of her drinking was done straight.
“I didn’t see any mix,” he added. “Booze is her evil. I never heard any complaints about her when she wasn’t drinking. It was like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.”
Other information listed in the document included details from that night’s 911 call, during which the operator could hear water running.
Later, the document said, police discovered a knife in a drawer with the DNA of Ms Laurence and Mr. Goodeve on it. NA Daytona Meetings in Holly Hill Parks.
However, since 2010, much has changed in Ms Laurence’s life, with Ms Hutchin noting the former Red Lobster waitress is much “thinner and healthier”. She also said Ms Laurence, who was living in Newmarket, is attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and has been sober for three years.
Det. Sgt. Slade noted the difference in her looks is so drastic that family members from the victim’s side failed to recognize Ms Laurence when they walked into court.
Although Ms Hutchin, a former Keswick resident, said she doesn’t think she could ever forgive Ms Laurence for what she did to her brother or her family, she also hinted her stance softened since the incident occurred.
“I said in my victim impact statement that my brother would look at her now and would be really happy that she was on a better path. He would be happy and he would want me to be, but I can’t,” he said. “She will serve her time and when she comes out, she will have a chance to live her life and that won’t happen for Greg.”
Ms Hutchin also noted that during the statement her husband witnessed Ms Laurence crying a number of times when Greg’s love for her was mentioned.
“I would like to think she’s contrite because she pushed for a plea bargain. I hope she is,” she added
One thing that continues to worry Ms Hutchin is she may never hear the details of exactly what happened leading up to the stabbing.
“This has been the hardest thing for some of us,” she said. “It’s frustrating, because I have questions, people have questions and you just have to tell them, ‘I don’t know’.”
Det. Sgt. Slade added that with the admission the sentence may fall from a life-sentence, with a possibility of parole after 10 to 12 years, to a six-year sentence, which has been agreed to both Crown and defence lawyers.
“This is a role reversal that society is not quite ready to accept, that men can be victims of domestic violence,” he said.
He added that the court process had been halted for months after the judge, who has yet to rule on the sentence, took undisclosed leave.
Ms Laurence is in custody and will be sentenced Dec. 11th