Don-tay’s killers sentenced

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Port Alberni’s Supreme Court chambers were packed with family and friends of Don-tay Lucas yesterday at the sentencing of the couple who killed him.

Rykel Charleson and Mitchell Frank were sentenced to 15 years in prison for torturing the 6-year old to death in their 8th Avenue townhouse in March 2018.

Dontay’s father Patrick Lucas said his son’s death was his worst nightmare, and turned him into an alcoholic who has lost everything and can’t hold a job, but he said he was satisfied with the sentence.

“It sounded like they’re showing remorse and they did take accountability for what they have done towards my son,” he said. “It won’t make it right, and it won’t bring him back, but it brought ease to my heart.”

Charleson told the court before sentencing that she was under extreme stress at the time of Dontay’s death, while Frank said he had limited memory of what happened because of his alcohol abuse.

The pair were originally charged with first-degree murder but later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.