Oliver man Sean McKenzie, 27, has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of a Belgian tourist near Boston Bar in 2018.
McKenzie was sentenced to 23 years in prison in New Westminster Supreme Court on Tuesday, where it was heard that he sexually assaulted and stabbed 28-year-old Amelie Sakkalis who was hitchhiking through the Okanagan last summer.
Police say McKenzie frequently travelled throughout B.C. for work as a cook. He does not have a criminal record. Police linked him to the crime for which he later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Friends and family members were stunned to hear of the details since the man was previously described as gentle and kind. However, the Crown said his conduct in this case was sadistic and brutal.
The court heart that McKenzie, who lived in Oliver for several years, picked the woman up on his way to Vancouver. At one point he pulled off in a remote area and bound Sakkalis before sexually assaulting and stabbing her multiple times.
McKenzie declined to say much in court and gave no explanation as to why he committed the murder. He will not be eligible for parole for 23 years and has been placed on the National Sex Offender Registry.
