A Calgary convict showed emotion as the 13-year-old child of the victim delivered a poignant statement during the sentencing hearing on Thursday. Faith Lyons expressed her profound loss, stating she always believed she would have her father with her. Following the violent death of Donald Lyons, Faith described feeling overwhelmed with grief.
Donald Lyons was fatally shot in December 2023, while his girlfriend, Amber Beach, survived the attack. The perpetrator, Paulos Berhe, 30, was found guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder earlier this year. The prosecution characterized the incident as a drug transaction that turned deadly.
The tragic event unfolded when Berhe, Lyons, and Beach met for a drug deal that ended in gunfire inside Lyons’s truck. In her impact statement, Sky, Lyons’s adult daughter, shared her father’s struggle with addiction and expressed regret that he did not have more time to overcome his challenges.
A conviction of second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no possibility of parole for 10 to 25 years. During the sentencing hearing, there were requests for different ineligibility periods from both the prosecutor and defense counsel. Donald’s father, Dale Lyons, spoke about the ongoing pain of losing his son, particularly when he encounters a red Dodge Ram truck.
Heather Lyons, Donald’s mother, described her son as her best friend and caregiver, highlighting the irreplaceable void left by his absence. Berhe, addressing the court, expressed remorse and asked for forgiveness, stating he never intended for the tragedy to occur.
The sentencing decision by Justice Labrenz is expected in September.