A man from Saint John, Roman Kamyshnyy, is set to receive his sentencing today for the 2025 murders of his two sons, aged 10 and 17, for which he was found guilty by a jury on June 24. The court trial revealed that Kamyshnyy’s actions were driven by a desire for retaliation against his ex-wife, the boys’ mother, following their recent divorce. The woman, identified as Witness A, was away in Ottawa for a work conference when the tragic incident occurred.
Witness A and others were given the chance to provide victim impact statements for the sentencing, which could include statements from first responders. As per the law, first-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. However, a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of Canada declared that serving consecutive parole ineligibility periods for multiple murders is unconstitutional and must be served concurrently.
The bodies of the two children were discovered by Saint John police in an apartment in Millidgeville, where they had suffered fatal stab wounds from knives found in the kitchen. Kamyshnyy was also found at the scene with self-inflicted gunshot wounds from a nail gun, indicating a failed suicide attempt. The prosecution argued that Kamyshnyy meticulously planned the murders over eight days and executed them by attacking his youngest son while he slept and then killing the older son in the kitchen.
During the two-week trial, 23 witnesses, including Witness A, testified. Kamyshnyy also took the stand in his defense, claiming he did not plan the killings and had no recollection of the events on that fateful day. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Saint John Court of King’s Bench.
