A Tilbury man who pleaded guilty to killing his friend in 2024 has been sentenced to life in a penitentiary with no parole for at least 15 years.
David Trealout, 36, was sentenced by Justice Brian Dube in Chatham court on Tuesday, one year after pleading guilty to second degree murder in the killing of 55-year-old Henry Neudorf of Tilbury in January of 2024.
Before the sentencing, the court heard victim impact statements from Neudorf's sister, daughter, and a lifelong friend.
Neudorf's emotional sister Justina Gilbert told the court that she has nightmares and is haunted by the horror her brother must have felt in the last few minutes of his life.
Gilbert also said her brother was betrayed by someone he thought was a friend and doesn't believe Trealout is sorry for what he did.
Rachel Neudorf said she has lost faith in humanity because of her father's murder, adding that her young son will be devastated when he truly finds out what happened to his grandfather.
The prosecution told the court the murder was calculated, extremely brutal, and cold.
"The brutality associated with this murder is mind boggling," said Crown Attorney Rob MacDonald. "The circumstances are egregious and shocked the consciousness of the community."
Trealout, Neudorf, and Trealout's mother Kimberly Price, were all roommates in Tilbury.
MacDonald also told the court that Trealout may be a Crown witness at his co-accused mother's first degree murder trial in November.
The defence said Trealout has several mental issues, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, paranoia, and learning disabilities that give him the capacity of a 15-year-old. The court also heard that Trealout is easily manipulated.
Calling the murder senseless and cowardly because Neudorf was vulnerable and defenceless at the time of his murder, Justice Dube said Trealout's significant mental health and intellectual issues, including multiple personality disorder, reduced the level of his culpability.
Trealout was also given credit for pleading guilty and sparing the heartbroken Neudorf family one murder trial, showing remorse for the murder, and co-operating with Chatham-Kent police.
The court heard that Trealout has struggled with anger management all of his life and has a limited criminal record.
Dube also ordered a lifetime ban on weapons, a DNA sample, and no contact with the Neudorf family, friends, and the co-accused.
A publication ban prevents details of Neudorf's death from being made public because Trealout's mother and co-accused, Kimberly Price, is still waiting for her trial.
