Bacon pleads guilty to lesser murder charge in death of Nanaimo teen Makayla Chang
NANAIMO — Steven Michael Bacon has formally admitted to killing Makayla Chang, but the murder charge he was facing has been downgraded.
During a Monday, Aug. 15 appearance in B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo, Bacon’s lawyer withdrew an earlier not guilty plea to a first degree murder charge before entering a guilty plea to a lesser second degree murder charge in its place.
Both first and second degree murder carry an automatic life sentence, however Bacon’s parole eligibility is now at a judge’s discretion of between 10 and 25 years, rather than a minimum of 25 years.
Bacon appeared in court, in person, outfitted in a black and white shirt with multiple skulls. Court heard he killed Chang on March 17, 2017, the same day she went missing.