Verdict reached in Barrie murder trial

Warning: Details and images used in this article may be disturbing to some readers.

Abad Shire, the man on trial for the stabbing death of a Barrie man in 2019, has been found guilty of second-degree murder.

A jury of six men and six women handed down their verdict Thursday morning for the death of Ryan Babineau, who died after suffering nearly 70 stab wounds and lacerations.

Following the verdict, eight jury members recommended Shire be ineligible for parole for the maximum of 25 years. The remaining jurors did not make a recommendation to the court.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for next month.

During the three-week trial, court heard Shire and another man, Cory Greavette, went into Babineau's Dunlop Street apartment on the morning of November 16, 2019.

Twelve minutes after arriving, Shire, Greavette, and one other, Tyler Wren, were caught on surveillance video driving away.

Greavette has since pleaded guilty to manslaughter and been sentenced to nine years behind bars, minus time served.

Last week, Shire took the stand in his defence, telling the jury he was in jail for a crime he never committed, pointing the finger at Greavette, saying he attacked Babineau alone.

However, the Crown argued Shire and Greavette stabbed Babineau in the chest, legs, back and face, causing sharp-force injuries to major organs.

Babineau died of significant blood loss, a forensic expert concluded.

The Crown called on a woman who testified she watched Shire, who she knew as Jeremy, stab Babineau in front of a group of people who were in the apartment before threatening to kill them and their families if they spoke of what they saw.

The defence argued the woman's testimony was "dangerous," noting inconsistencies in her story and trying to convince the jury her memory was unreliable.

A forensic scientist who examined the vehicle testified that a mixed blood sample found on the passenger-side door belonged to the victim and Shire.

The court heard police arrested Shire in North Bay days after Babineau died. They said Shire had injuries to his hand and fingers.

A knife found at the scene was sampled for DNA, but the sample collected couldn't be traced back to Shire.

He has been in custody since his arrest.

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