A Chatham man facing a first degree murder charge has pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second degree murder in the killing of his girlfriend.
Stephen Thompson, 43, pleaded guilty to second degree murder, but not guilty to first degree murder by video in Chatham Superior Court on Tuesday.
The court heard Thompson was in an intimate relationship with victim Cynthia Sitzes, 44, of Bothwell for about four months before she was killed on July 1, 2022 at a Bedford Street apartment in Chatham.
In an agreed statement of facts, the prosecution said Sitzes was found by Chatham-Kent police at Thompson's apartment on July 4, 2022 with multiple stab wounds to the face and neck, trauma to her head, faced down on the living room floor in a pool of blood, and naked from the waist down.
According to Chatham-Kent Assistant Crown Attorney Heather McIntyre, Thompson was found in the victim's vehicle a few hours earlier on July 4, 2022 and confessed to the murder, saying it was unintentional and was caused by a heated argument.
The prosecution noted Thompson used a pocket knife to stab Sitzes 15 times in the face and neck and the stab wounds to the neck were fatal.
McIntyre also said there was a history of unreported physical violence in the relationship, noting that Sitzes had to be identified by dental records because of the nature of her injuries and the advanced decomposition of her body.
Thompson has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced in-person on October 23, 2023 at which time victim impact statements are anticipated.
Thompson's defence lawyer Ken Marley is asking for a sentence between 12 and 14 years, while the prosecution is requesting 14-16 years behind bars.