Crown seeks eight-year sentence in Calgary manslaughter case
Crown asks for eight years in Calgary manslaughter after a man pleaded guilty to killing a friend with kitchen scissors; court heard autopsy and victim impact.
A Calgary prosecutor asked a judge Friday to impose an eight-year prison sentence in a Calgary manslaughter case in which a 30-year-old man admitted killing his friend with a pair of kitchen scissors. The victim, 28-year-old Jose Gutierrez Polanco, was killed in late January 2024 and his body was found on Feb. 14, 2024. The sentencing hearing in Court of King’s Bench heard evidence about the violence, the accused’s intoxication and the pain left for the victim’s family.
Drinking, argument and a violent escalation
The two men had known one another for about a year after meeting while working for the same Calgary construction company, according to the agreed facts read in court. On Jan. 27, 2024 they spent the evening together at Gutierrez Polanco’s apartment, walked to a nearby liquor store and returned to continue drinking into the early hours. The prosecutor described how an argument in the living room escalated into a physical fight as the evening progressed and one man became severely intoxicated.
Fatal injuries described in autopsy evidence
An autopsy showed Gutierrez Polanco suffered a total of 12 stab wounds, including multiple injuries to the neck and torso that pierced lungs and abdominal organs, court documents say. Several wounds penetrated vital structures, and medical evidence used by the Crown painted the attack as repeated and concentrated on vulnerable parts of the body. Police later found blood spatter on the walls and ceiling of the apartment where the body lay, indicating the attack left clear physical traces in the residence.
Crown highlights aggravating factors at sentencing
Prosecutor Terry Mazerolle told Justice Christopher Simard that the number and severity of the wounds increase the moral culpability of the accused and amount to sustained violence. The Crown noted the victim was on the floor for part of the struggle, which the prosecutor argued made him less able to defend himself or escape. Crown counsel also pointed to the accused’s failure to seek medical help after the attack and the fact the victim remained alone for 17 days before his body was discovered as elements that aggravate the offence.
Accused’s conduct and courtroom demeanour
Dressed in a blue prison jumpsuit, Hans Jimenez Varela sat in the prisoner’s box with his head bowed throughout much of Friday’s proceeding, according to court reporting. CCTV evidence introduced in the agreed facts showed Jimenez Varela leaving the building at about 5:30 a.m. appearing severely intoxicated and disoriented, the Crown said. The accused, who originally faced a second-degree murder charge, pleaded guilty in April to a reduced charge of manslaughter at the start of what had been scheduled as a murder trial.
Victim’s family describes devastating loss
The court heard a written victim impact statement from Gutierrez Polanco’s sister, who described her brother as her closest companion and recalled growing up together less than a year apart. She recounted the heartache of carrying his ashes back to Mexico and the enduring absence of his company, images that the Crown said underscore the harm caused by the killing. The statement was presented to the judge to inform sentencing and to illustrate the long-term effects on family members left behind.
Defence mitigation and next steps in court
Defence lawyer Jason Wuttunee was scheduled to make submissions on behalf of Jimenez Varela, outlining factors the court should consider in mitigation, including intoxication and any pre-trial custody credit. The Crown’s eight-year request seeks a sentence reduced by any credit the judge allows for time already spent in custody prior to trial, the prosecutor confirmed. Justice Simard did not hand down a sentence Friday and is expected to issue his decision at a later date after considering both Crown and defence submissions.
The case underscores the court’s task of balancing the seriousness of repeated violence and the personal circumstances of the accused while addressing the profound loss felt by the victim’s family.
