THUNDER BAY — Peter Keeash, charged in connection to the 2018 stabbing death of 32-old Irene Barkman, has been found guilty of second-degree murder.
Justice Danial Newton delivered his verdict in a Thunder Bay Courtroom on Friday. The verdict follows a five-day trial that opened on Aug. 22, at which time Keeash pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder, along with two counts of uttering threats to cause death and one count of forcible confinement.
“Despite his intoxication, Peter Keeash had the state of mind required for murder,” Newton said in his ruling. “He intended to kill Irene Barkman by stabbing her in the neck or cause her bodily harm that he knew could kill her.”
Keeash was first arrested on Oct. 30, 2018 following an incident at Dufferin Street residence the night before.
First responders were called to the residence at approximately 11 p.m. the night of Oct. 29, 2018 for reports of an unresponsive female.
When crews arrived, Barkman was found on the floor of the living room in a pool of blood. She was transported to the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and underwent emergency surgery. Despite life-saving efforts, Barkman succumbed to her injuries two days later.
A forensic pathologist determined Barkman suffered four stab wounds to the neck, with one penetrating her carotid artery resulting in significant blood loss and death from her brain not receiving enough oxygen.
A broken knife blade and handle were found in the apartment with blood-like staining. A DNA analysis determined Barkman could not be excluded as the source of the DNA profile.
During the trial, the Crown called three witnesses who were inside the Dufferin Street residence at the time of the incident to testify.
While the testimony of three witnesses was contradictory at times, Justice Newton said in his ruling that he found the testimony of the first witness to be the most credible.
“It is obvious that the evidence of the three witnesses is inconsistent on some facts,” he said, adding that two of the witnesses were highly intoxicated at the time, therefore he relied more on the evidence of the first witness who was not intoxicated.
The first witness testified to Keeash dragging her out of her bedroom and forcing her to sit on the couch in the living room with Barkman and a second witness, who was Barkman’s partner.
The first witness said Keeash and Barkman were arguing and at one point, Keeash began punching Barkman.
The witness said she covered her head with a blanket and when she looked again she saw Keeash pull Barkman off the couch to the floor and her face was covered in blood.
Keeash was holding a knife at the time, according to the witness' testimony, and he threatened to kill her and the other witness in the living room.
“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Peter had a knife and threatened (the two witnesses) and forcibly confined (the first witness) while holding that knife,” Newton said.
The second witness testified that Keeash asked him if he wanted Barkman dead, to which he agreed, and he added that he saw Keeash stab Barkman in the neck.
The witnesses’ testimony was questioned by Justice Newton, who said the witness was highly intoxicated at the time and his evidence contradicted previous statements made to police, as well as the testimony of the first witness.
Newton said he was satisfied that neither of the witnesses’ present had actually seen Keeash stab Barkman, but based on the totality of the evidence, the only reasonable inference is that Keeash guilty.
“I find the evidence of Peter’s departure from the scene is material because It offers to prove he fled the scene after Irene was stabbed,” Newton said. “It makes it more relevant that he wanted to escape liability.”
Keeash was found guilty on all four counts. A conviction on the charge of second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence, with parole ineligibility ranging from 10 to 25 years.
A pre-sentence report and Gladue report were requested. The matter will return to court on Jan. 30, 2023 to set a date for sentencing submissions.
