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B.C. Veteran Who Was 'Eerily Calm' After He Shot His Wife, 77, Handed Life Sentence

Darpan News Desk, 26 Jun, 2015 01:02 PM

SAANICH, B.C. — A B.C. Supreme Court judge has ruled that a Saanich, B.C., veteran will be eligible for parole in 10 years for killing his 77-year-old wife.

Joseph DesRoches pleaded guilty to second-degree murder last week for the shooting death of his wife, Rosa, last year.

The court heard DesRoches was "eerily calm" after he shot his son's dog with a pistol he kept in the house, then walked upstairs and shot his wife as she lay in bed.

Both Crown and defence lawyers sought the minimum sentence for second-degree murder of life in prison with no chance of parole for a decade.

The lawyers referenced the man's history of serving his country with the military, his previously clean record, and the fact that his children have forgiven him.

His lawyer told the court during the sentencing hearing that DesRoches still doesn't know why he started shooting. (CFAX)

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