A sentencing hearing for Langley triple-murderer Kia Ebrahimian will begin on Dec. 16 in New Westminster Supreme Court.
The hearing will determine how long it will be before Ebrahimian can apply for parole.
On Monday, Oct. 3, mid-way through his trial, Ebrahimian pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder, admitting he was responsible for killing his mother Tatiana Bazyar, his brother Befrin Ebrahimian, and his step-father Francesco Zangrilli.
Ebrahimian, who has been in custody since he was arrested in 2020, had admitted that he was responsible for the deaths of his family members, but at issue was whether he was a “rational actor, who was able to form the intent of murder,” Crown prosecutor Michael Fortino said on the opening day of the trial.
Having pleaded guilty to second degree murder, Ebrahimian will automatically receive a life sentence. The only issue is when he can first apply for parole. In second degree murder cases, judges can set parole eligibility as low as ten years, or as high as 25 years.
Parole eligibility does not mean automatic release.
The trial revealed the killings were sparked by a conflict between Ebrahimian and Befrin, who was a transgender man who had completed gender reassignment surgery, according to Fortino.
Ebrahimian moved back into the family home in the spring of 2020 and immediately began clashing with his brother.
On June 13 of that year, the house in the 19600 block of Wakefield Drive caught fire. Zangrilli was pulled out of the house by police officers who arrived on the scene, but died of stab wounds. The other two were found inside the home after the fire was extinguished. Only Ebrahimian escaped alive.
Emergency responders and police investigators would later discover the bodies of the rest of the family. Fortino told the court that they had died of “sharp force injuries.”
READ ALSO: Killer changes plea to guilty in triple murder of Langley family
READ ALSO: Langley triple murder trial opens with playback of call to police
Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.