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WARNING

Evan James Grykuliak, 17, was stabbed to death on November 19th, 2006.

A 17-year-old male was charged with second-degree murder, assault with a weapon, and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon. Initially, he could not be identified under provision of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

However, on August 26th, 2008, as a result of media challenging the continued publication ban after the youth was sentenced as an adult, it was revealed that Dexter Ian Estacio had been convicted of second-degree murder in Evan's death and was given a term of life imprisonment with no chance of parole for seven years.

The evening had begun as a birthday celebration for two teens named Evan and Gavin.

By morning it had turned to tragedy for their friends and family.

On November 19th, 2006 police were called out at 1:20 a.m. to a disturbance at the La Perle community league hall at 18611 97A Avenue.

Upon arrival they found a 17-year-old male suffering from several stab wounds.

Emergency medical services were immediately dispatched but the youth died enroute to hospital, succumbing to his injuries.

About 60 people were in the hall for the birthday celebration. Police were able to talk to numerous witnesses who they described as co-operative.

The stabbing occurred outside the hall and a police spokesman said the victim was not known to them.

It was not known at the time if the people involved in the stabbing were invited guests or party-crashers.

The gang unit was initially involved in the investigation but police later said the incident had no connection to gangs.

The Edmonton Journal reported the party was uneventful and around 1 a.m. some people started to file out.

Friends of the victim said they believed he was trying to get some uninvited party crashers to leave when he was stabbed.

Global Edmonton reported that four young men wanted to join the party and that Evan went out of the hall to tell them it was "invitation only." It was then that he was stabbed in the stomach, the station reported.

Friends of the deceased were the first to identify him as Evan Grykuliak when speaking to CTV Edmonton.

Evan was described by friends as loving, unselfish, smart and athletic.

Faza Ariaee and Shelvin Singh spoke of their friend to CTV's cameras.

"He's probably the nicest guy I ever met. He never ended anything on a bad note. He always looked out others ahead of himself," said Singh.

Shelvin, who was at the party, said Evan had spent months planning his seventeenth birthday party.

"This was like his major project. He put a lot of effort into it," Shelvin said.

Evan had turned 17 three days earlier on November 16th, and the party was by invitation only.

Ariaee said Evan was an avid soccer player.

"He just did everything for the team. He went through hell to get these jerseys for us – now he can't even use them."

Diana Grykuliak, Evan's mother, told Global Edmonton her son was an avid soccer player, music lover and devoted friend.

"He was the nicest person you ever knew. He was just always concerned about everyone being happy," she said.

"He just never was rude," she added. "Just respectful. Never said a cross word to us. He had a special way of dealing with people. Just very sincere."

Catherine Grykuliak, Evan's 84-year-old grandmother, told the Journal he came to visit her every other weekend and they would watch music videos together of "young people's music."

"He was out of this world. He was born with a smile. He died with a smile."

The Grade 12 Ross Sheppard student was planning to travel and attend university after graduating. He had talked about becoming a criminal lawyer or heading into business.

Global Edmonton spoke to Garry Grykuliak, Evan's father.

"I yearn for my – I want my son back," Garry said.

"He was an amazing kid – that's why I don't understand why somebody would let this happen. Why would people come up and stab somebody like that – cheap shots!

"I will never forgive the person – that persons – that did it. I hope I never encounter him. I hope the person rots in hell and anybody that had anything to do with it.

"And I can't understand why anybody would take my son's life."

A spokesman for the La Perle Community League said the hall is rented to private groups as long as there's an adult who's at least 25 years old in charge.

The responsibilty of securing a liquor licence is up to those renting the hall and it must be shown to the league before access is granted.

The spokesman said those organising Evan's party would have to have met those conditions and he believed there were adults at the hall throughout the night (see section below).

Garry Grykuliak said he and other adults got to the community hall early to set up his son's birthday event. He then kept an eye on things from a motor home in the parking lot.

Garry said Evan had insisted on walking a drunk girl outside to make sure she wouldn't be alone.

"The doors were closed, the people were coming and the cabs were coming," he told the Edmonton Journal.

"All of a sudden I spotted some kind of a commotion. The next thing you know, I notice an object leaning away from that and buckling over and falling.

"And by the time I got there and cleared the kids, lo and behold, it was my son, Evan. And that devastated me," Garry said.

Grykuliak said he saw some people running away after the stabbing, but he was too focused on tending to his wounded son.

After a meeting with police detectives, Grykuliak told the Journal he was still unable to comprehend the violence plaguing Edmonton's youth.

"What morals do you have? Where do you come from? Where do you grow up? Where are your parents?" he said.

"My boy was an angel sent from above, but God must have needed him back," he said. "But he was for us, I want him back."

Grykuliak said he felt no guilt for allowing his son and other minors to drink at the hall party.

"There was adult supervision. The party crowd had nothing to do with those bums who took my son.

"We all drank in our time before the age of consent, and did this violence befall us? No. This comes from people raised without any morals. I'm shocked, devastated. I simply can't understand it.

"What must we do? Stop selling steak knives? These kids who kill just come from a different world."

No arrests were immediately made and no suspects had been identified in connection with Edmonton's 33rd homicide of 2006.

On November 21st, 2006 the Edmonton Sun published an interview with Teah Lucciantonio.

The 17-year-old woman had stepped outside the La Perle community league hall to check on Evan who was dealing with some partycrashers.

Lucciantonio said she saw two men who appeared to be Asian pushing Evan back and forth.

"One held him while the other stabbed him," Lucciantonio told the Sun.

"I grabbed Evan and just held him [as he fell] to the ground. He just said, 'Teah,' and then his eyes rolled back in his head. There was so much blood."

Lucciantonio said the two attackers – one clad in a red track suit – ran away after she grabbed the dying teen.

Another at the party who saw the fight begin ran inside the hall when the two men started punching Grykuliak.

He said some of Grykuliak's older relatives were working security inside the hall.

"When I came back, it was too late. He was on the ground," the friend added.

While police had not identified any suspects, the Sun reported that friends of the victim said their names were known in the community.

The medical examiner confirmed Evan Grykuliak died from a stab wound to the chest.

Memorial

For students at Ross Sheppard Composite High School, Evan's death hit hard.

Friends of Evan and fellow students set up the Evan G. Memorial Fund. Donations to cover funeral expenses were taken at the school.

A remembrance was held at Ross Sheppard on November 22nd, 2006.

A thousand students filled the main gymnasium for a ceremony that was closed to those outside the school. The gathering was organised by Evan's friends.

Students speaking to media after the event were unanimous in their praise for the 17-year-old while calling for an end to violence among their peers.

In a twist of irony, just as students at Ross Sheppard were saying their final goodbyes, a student was assaulted inside J.H. Picard School.

A Grade 12 student was not hurt in the incident while police looked for a suspect.

The Edmonton Sun later reported the suspect was one of two teens charged in connection with the stabbing death of Joshua Hunt – full details on the November 2006 Crime Report page.

On November 23rd, 2006 a memorial service for Evan James Grykuliak was held at West Meadows Baptist Church, 9333 199 Street.

The memorial opened with Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven, a song about the death of Clapton's four-year-old son.

The gathering was told how Grykuliak had a golden soul that inspired his friends and family to better themselves.

"Evan made the choice to keep on smiling, and so can we," Pastor Lorne Trudgian told the crowd. "He's taught you how to love, so love."

"He sucked up teachings and encouragement like a big, smiling sponge," recalled former soccer coach Jon Rossall.

The man pleaded with teens to settle disputes without violence.

"I'm angry because a wonderful young man's life has been taken without reason, without logic, and we're left to question why."

"If we as parents and you as young people don't get these messages, then there won't be enough churches in the city for grieving friends and relatives," said Rossall.

"We need to make this part of Evan's legacy," he said.

Family spokesman Terri Bailey offered thanks for the outpouring of support since Evan's life was stolen from them.

"We will know that his loving spirit and insightful lessons will be with us forever," she said.

"Don't let Evan die within you," Evan's uncle Tye Johnson said. "I promise you, Evan, you'll never die within me."

17-year-old charged

On November 24th, 2006 police announced a 17-year-old male had been charged with second-degree murder, assault with a weapon, and two counts of possession of an offensive weapon in connection with Grykuliak's death.

He cannot be identified under provision of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Acting on witness statements and leads developed by officers on the case, police arrested the youth at a north-end residence in the area of 131st Street and 157th Avenue at about 1:00 a.m.

Police said the arrest was effected without incident.

The teen was to be held in police custody until his first appearance in court on November 27th, 2006.

Police also said no other suspects were being sought in connection with the homicide. Police declined to say whether a weapon was recovered or if a motive was determined.

On November 27th, 2006 the 17-year-old male accused of fatally stabbing Evan Grykuliak made a brief court appearance.

A judge told the youth he would face adult sentencing if convicted.

The 17-year-old was then scheduled to be back in court December 27th, 2006. There was no word if a bail application had been made or proposed.

The teen cannot be identified under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Political and police reaction

On the same morning Evan Grykuliak was murdered, another young man was stabbed to death in Edmonton.

An altercation on Whyte Avenue with a group of men described as being between 19 and 22 years of age resulted in the death of Dylan Cole McGillis, 20.

The near-simultaneous stabbing deaths of Evan and Dylan saw city officials pressed for answers.

Mayor Stephen Mandel, aware of the signficance of public perception, tried to re-assure citizens while offering a directive.

"This is number one issue. People have to know the City of Edmonton is a safe city."

"We have to appeal to the court system to put some teeth into the laws that are there to deal with the kind of challenges that are being faced by cities today."

"The time has come that the courts have got to step up and begin to give the police some support when they do arrest these people who are committing these crimes."

Mandel offered his own view about the type of weapon used in the weekend's murders.

"It boggles my mind that many things are settled with a knife. Knives are not a fist – and people die from it."

Easy access to knives were also an issue police chief Mike Boyd pointed to in his statements to the media.

"If somebody's got a weapon with them, they're more than likely going to use it."

The police chief invited community involvement at all levels to come up with solutions.

"I'm talking about community members. I'm talking about mothers and fathers. I'm talking about our court system and the justice system officials. I'm talking about educators. I'm talking about all of us bending down and picking up the ball and not dropping it on this issue."

While the politicians were offering their assessment, University of Alberta criminologist Bill Pitt's opinion was sought out by the Global and CTV Edmonton news teams.

Pitt said policing the availability of knives was a non-starting issue.

"We've tried to restrict firearms and you can get them anywhere in the city. So as far as trying to restrict knives that would be an even more hopeless adventure."

The criminologist said the problem of Edmonton's recent violence among youth stems from what they're seeing coming out of the judicial system.

"I think what they're creating is a geography of uncertainty in this country as to what's going to happen in the courts.

"And anytime you have that uncertainty you're going to have disorder. And when you have disorder, you're going to have more violence."

Pitt said the courts need to impose tougher sentences on young people who commit violent crimes.

"It's not all society's fault. There's an individual choice here that people are making. There's a psychology of murder.

"We have to get some truth in sentencing," Pitt said.

"We have to get some people on the bench who have some backbone and put these violent offenders away for a long, long period of time and protect society from them."

Pitt also said teens committing violent crimes are fearless because of the light sentences being imposed, and that the 'thrill of the kill' had become the new high – more powerful than any drug.

The only antidote, he said, is to provide a deterrent. However, the impact may take a generation to be felt.

"What we have coming up through the system right now are very unhappy, angry, thin-skinned males that are jumping – upping the ante to homicide when somebody looks at them sideways."

Caught between all the experts are parents and the cop on the beat.

Global Edmonton interviewed police Cst. Maurice Brodeur, who helps facilitate a group called People Against Youth Violence.

Brodeur feels the path to addressing the problem starts in the home.

"Sometimes we don't want to parent as our parents did – maybe we thought our parents were too strict. So then we want to be friends with our kids," Brodeur said.

"That's wrong – we need to guide our kids."

As the 33rd homicide of 2006, 17-year-old Evan Grykuliak's death came exactly one year to the day after the city's 33rd murder of 2005.

On November 19th, 2005 Cameron Campbell, also 17, was stabbed to death at a house party by a 17-year-old young offender.

It was also the same day Shane Rolston, also 17, was beaten to death by four 18-year-olds and a 17-year-old, also at a house party, in Sherwood Park.

With Evan Grykuliak's murder taking place during a function at a quasi-public facility, attention was focused on the practises used by the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, an organisation largely made up of volunteers.

Federation executive director Russ Dahms told the Edmonton Journal those running each hall confirm that the events have a liquor licence, require adults to book the facility and be involved in what's happening.

Some halls insist renters take out liability insurance and ask for deposits by cheque so the names and addresses of the people in charge can be verified.

Information about renting a community league hall is available at the EFCL web site which also provides a link to a tipsheet advising volunteers how to guard against potential trouble.

"You're setting up the best context you can ... but when the event happens, it's a private function. When things go sideways, what communities have done is they will call police," Dahms said.

Despite the dozens of weddings, birthday parties, family reunions and other celebrations held at Edmonton halls each weekend, Dahms said he averages only about three reports of trouble each year.

Dahms told the Journal there aren't enough volunteers to watch over every get-together, hiring supervisors would add substantially to the rental fee and it isn't practical to check the ID of everyone inside to ensure there aren't underage drinkers.

Grykuliak's father was in attendance at the La Perle party and things had gone well. Dahms noted the stabbing occurred outside as the event was winding down.

"The facility owner rents it for a private function. How far does your duty of care go ... in monitoring their use of the facility?"

The La Perle league put a moratorium on rentals for two weeks and was to review their rental policies in January, 2007.

The Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission launched an investigation to see if the licence was issued properly to someone over 18 and minors weren't being served alcohol.

return to narrative

Guilty plea

On October 31st, 2007 – eleven months after Evan James Grykuliak had been stabbed – the youth charged with his death pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with his death.

The teen's next court date was set for January 2008, with his sentencing hearing scheduled for a four-day period beginning April 14th.

A large turnout for the day's hearing forced the proceedings to move from Youth Court 443 to Courtroom 266, delaying the start for more than an hour.

Once settled, the courtroom was packed with family and friends of both the victim and the young offender. Evan's friends wore t-shirts that read "Cadillac 1989-2006." Cadillac was short for the victim's nickname, "Ev Mac Cadillac."

Skinny, with one gelled strand of hair across his forehead, wearing a baggy blue Edmonton Young Offender Centre track suit, the accused sat quietly throughout the session, uttering only the word "guilty."

The man, who had turned eighteen September 8th, avoided eye-contact with those in the gallery – donning Dolce & Gabanna glasses to afford him anonymity.

Once the guilty plea was accepted by Judge James Koshman, the Crown withdrew charges of assault with a weapon, two counts of possession of a dangerous weapon, and a charge of theft over $5,000 unrelated to the Grykuliak matter.

An agreed statement of facts was read into the record.

The accused had shown up at the party with a group of friends and was seen inside the hall holding a folding knife. Someone told him to put it away and he did.

At about 1:15 a.m., the accused and his friends were out having a cigarette when Even Grykuliak approached them.

It wasn't made clear what Grykuliak or his killer said to each other, but an argument ensued. The two men and their friends got into a brawl.

"The entire event was unplanned and occurred very quickly," according to the agreed facts.

The killer stabbed Evan six times, with a jab to the chest being the fatal wound. At one point, Evan was stabbed twice while a friend of the killer held Grykuliak's arms from behind – the statement suggested the killer wasn't aware of this at the time.

"He intended to cause serious bodily harm that he knew was likely to cause the death of [Mr. Grykuliak]," the agreed statement of facts read.

The killer and his friends then walked away to the parking lot. When an adult chaperone tried to catch up with him and his group, someone sprayed the chaperone with pepper spray and misted the entire group. Then they drove away.

Paramedics arrived at 1:27 a.m., taking Evan to the Royal Alexandra Hospital. He was pronounced dead at 1:55 a.m.

Judge Koshman ordered a pre-sentence report, a psychiatric assessment, a custody progress report from the Edmonton Young Offender Centre and an intensive rehabilitation custody report. The reports were to be submitted at the sentencing hearing set for April.

Crown prosecutor Wade Marke told the court he would be seeking an adult sentence.

"The Crown is operating under the presumption that an adult sentence would be imposed," Marke said.

Understandably, defence lawyer Charles Davison would be making a case for a youth disposition.

A separate hearing was slated for March 7th, 2008 regarding the constitutionality of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

At the time, the onus rested with the defence to argue against having an adult sentence automatically imposed on a young offender.

Family members declined to speak to media outside court.

"I don't know if they've resolved how that sits yet ... and that's why they need some time to get through this," said spokesman Rick Young of the family's reaction to the guilty plea.

Later, the Edmonton Journal spoke with Diana Grykuliak, Evan's mother.

"There is no comfort," she said. "Whatever he gets, he gets – it will never be enough. We don't have our son."

The woman spoke of her son's dreams, of becoming a lawyer or going into business.

"He just had such a zest for life. He was so passionate about his friends and family, so honest," Diana said. "We just felt so lucky."

Diana said she was humbled by the level of support shown Evan in court.

"I expected some kids in court, but that was overwhelming. It was so touching," she said. "The community and friends have been phenomenal – we will never be able to show our appreciation to everyone."

First anniversary

On the first anniversary of Evan Grykuliak's death, Global Edmonton sat down with his mother Diana.

"He had a real love for life ... he didn't like to see people ... anyone angry or upset," Diana recalled.

The boy who was "born with a smile" touched many around him.

"We just miss him, everyday ... every minute. It's something you can't really explain – it's a deep loss."

Evan's passion for soccer was honoured with Evan's Game, organised by his friends to help raise funds for programs aimed at preventing bullying and violence among teens.

Held November 25th, 2007 Friends of Evan triumphed over members of the Edmonton Police Service by a score of 4-2.

Sentencing arguments

After Judge James Koshman had heard the various reports and the opinions of psychiatrists and treatment supervisors, he set aside two days in May 2008 to hear sentencing arguments.

The courtroom was again packed when Evan Grykuliak's murderer appeared on May 26th. Lawyers for both sides were on hand to present their cases.

The hearing also gave the teen, who had already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, the opportunity to speak to the court.

But just as the teen started, Evan's friends and family walked out of the courtroom.

The teen continued nonetheless, saying he had re-affirmed his religious beliefs since the November 2006 attack.

"I never meant for any of this to happen. I'm truly sorry for what I've done," he said.

"Evan did not deserve what happened to him. All I can do is keep sending them [Evan's family] my prayers.

"I hope some day Evan's family and friends will be able to forgive me. I hope to one day turn my life around to set and example for other youth."

The killer's mother took the stand and apologised for her son's actions. She also spoke of God, redemption and grace.

"Please allow me to hug the parents of Evan," she asked the judge, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the family had already left. "I have longed to do this since the first time we met."

Crown prosecutor Wade Marke told the court he was seeking an adult sentence, a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole for seven years.

"It was part of his lifestyle to carry a knife to do violent acts ... he assaulted other people, he robbed other drug dealers. He had stabbed other people saying similar things have happened but nobody's died," Marke told the court.

"At the time of the offence he indicated that stabbing somebody wasn't that big a deal. He would get the reputation as somebody who is known to be crazy," he added.

The prosecutor said that the accused left home and started dealing crack cocaine at the age of 14. He had long behaved as an adult, succeeding in the violent and dangerous drug trade in association with the Crazy Dragons Gang.

While inside the Edmonton Young Offender Centre, Marke said the youth continued to oversee his outside drug dealings and netted more than $45,000 in profits.

Workers at the EYOC said the teen enjoyed the notoriety of being someone who had somebody else, and hung around other violent offenders "fitting in well."

In addition, the teen had shown no remorse for his lifestyle and indicated no willingness to change.

Defence lawyer Charles Davison asked for a youth sentence of seven years – four in custody and three under community supervision.

Perhaps sensing the judge's mood, Davison suggested his client should get the maximum punishment.

The lawyer said young offenders must be treated differently because they are immature and consequently impulsive, and that his client's comments to psychiatrists and social workers must be understood in context as comments on his previous lifestyle, and not on his current values.

Davison said the standard for rehabilitation cannot be the overhaul of core values and beliefs, adding that ideal was seldom attainable. He said a sentence that deters criminal behaviour succeeds in rehabilitating the offender.

Judge James Koshman set August 15th, 2008 as the date he would announce his decision.

Sentencing

On a hot summer day inside a packed courtroom, the teen who pleaded guilty to the stabbing death of Evan Grykuliak learned his fate.

On August 15th, 2008 Judge James Koshman ruled the young man, now 19, had to be sentenced as an adult, and he was given life in prison with no chance of parole for seven years.

"Murder is the most serious of offences," Koshman read from his judgement.

"In this case, the accused essentially acted on his own when he decided to respond to the situation by stabbing the victim.

"By his own admission, he had done this before and had gotten away with it," Koshman said. "He chose to put another's life at risk by his actions for his own personal ... reputation.

"It was a senseless, horrifying and self-serving act," he continued. "What makes it even more serious is the accused's explanation ... namely, to establish a reputation amongst his peers and to make him feared. He chose to put another's life at risk by his actions for his own personal aggrandizement," he said.

"It is hard to conceive of a more despicable justification," Koshman said.

"(A youth sentence) falls short of holding him responsible. It is neither sufficiently long enough to reflect the seriousness of the crime he has committed nor long enough to provide reasonable assurance of his rehabilitation."

Koshman noted the teen had not expressed a sufficient amount of remorse, sympathy or responsibility for the muder. Combined with a lack of change in behaviour, Koshman indicated he had no choice but to sentence him as an adult.

He also ordered the teen to provide a DNA sample to the national databank, and imposed a 10-year weapons prohibition.

Koshman reserved discretion in publicly naming the teen. That decision sparked notice from several media outlets that they would challenge the continued publication ban.

The judge set aside August 19th to rule on the matter. Also to be decided is where the teen would serve his sentence, either in a youth or adult facility.

As Koshman read out his judgement, the teen he was sentencing sat stone-faced in the prisoner's box, staring at the floor.

His family sat quietly at the back of the courtroom, but he did not look at them. One woman was seen wiping tears as she listened to the ruling.

Court had earlier heard the teen's family took their boy to church as a child and sent him to a Christian elementary school. There he excelled academically and socially ... until he was expelled at the age of 12 for playing with an X-Acto knife.

Steps away from the prisoner's box sat Grykuliak's family. Diana Grykuliak, Evan's mother, cried quietly throughout the sentencing hearing.

After the hearing adjourned, some of Evan's family fell into each other's arms and wept.

"I try not to think about him and just not look at him in all honesty," Diana said of the young offender later outside court.

Reporters asked her how she felt about the sentence.

"Satisfied I suppose is the word," Diana said. "The system had worked. The appropriate punishment was given."

Not satisfied was Evan's father, Garry Grykuliak.

"I'm glad he got what he got but I think he should get more, period," Garry said. "I'm glad of the verdict. He deserves more than that ...

"Thank God he's in Canada, because if he was some place else in the world, it's an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, which he deserves.

"All predators like him can inflict pain to people," he said.

Diana spoke of how the past few years had been difficult without her "funny and loving" boy.

"You can't say put it behind you because there's nothing to put behind," she said. "To talk about him is good.

"You just have to make it through the day. I don't know if there is truly any healing."

Crown prosecutor Wade Marke agreed with the judge and said a youth sentence would not have been enough.

"As we got into the case and looked at the seriousness of the violence it was very clear that from our perspective it should be an adult sentence," he said.

"It was a very violent offense. It was gratuitive violence ... it was senseless," Marke added.

"There was a lot of evidence that came out in the hearing about the accused's background that made it appropriate."

Reaction from other families of murder victims

On the same night of Evan's murder – and at about the same moment across town – another young man lost his life to a knife.

20-year-old Dylan Cole McGillis was out with friends on Whyte Avenue November 19th, 2006 when he and his companions were swarmed.

McGillis was stabbed in the stomach and later died despite undergoing three emergency surgeries. Police have yet to charge anyone with Dylan's death.

In the wake of the adult-term sentencing of Evan Grykuliak's killer, the Edmonton Sun spoke with Grant McGillis, Dylan's father.

"I think that needs to happen more often," he said of the sentence.

"A lot of times you see the judges give them a slap on the wrist, but there has to be signs out there to let young people know that if you do something like that, you'll pay for it."

While the Grykuliak family now had some sense of closure, Dylan's family continues to wait for justice.

"I just hope that someday somebody will have a conscience," Grant said. "There's many people that do know who did it and somebody should be punished for it."

A $40,000 reward offered by the Edmonton Police Commission remains in effect for any information that would convict those responsible for Dylan's murder.

Judge Koshman's decision not to lift the publication ban on the name of Grykuliak's killer riled the father of another teen stabbed to death.

16-year-old Josh Hunt was fatally wounded in a friend's home in Mill Woods on October 14th, 2006. A 17-year-old male was charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of assault with a weapon.

Josh's father, Gary Hunt, also questioned Koshman's short parole term for Evan's killer saying seven years was not enough.

"You can do more time than that as an adult committing fraud and he took a life," Hunt said. "I don't think (the decision) is good. I don't think it's anywhere near where it should be."

Jury selection in the Hunt case was set for November 20th, 2008, with the trial starting four days later.

Decision delayed

A decision expected on August 19th, 2008 by Judge James Koshman on the naming of the convicted young offender and his placement was set over until August 26th.

No reason was provided.

Publication ban lifted

On August 26th, 2008 Youth Court Judge James Koshman ruled in favour of a media application and made known the name of the young offender convicted of the second-degree murder of Evan Grykuliak.

However, Koshman did not announce where 18-year-old Dexter Ian Estacio would serve his life sentence.

In court, Estacio's face showed no trace of emotion as the judge lifted the two-year-old publication ban automatically imposed by the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Koshman delayed his decision on where Estacio would serve his time until August 29th.

Under law, a young offender sentenced as an adult is automatically sent to a federal facility unless it is proven that it would be against their best interest.

Defence lawyer Charles Davison argued that his client should not be placed in a facility such as the Edmonton Institution until he turns 20, and suggested he remain in the Edmonton Young Offender Centre during the interim. There he could complete all available programs, including one aimed at teaching empathy for his victims, and continue his studies in a familiar environment.

Estacio's ties with the Crazy Dragons gang would place him at risk in an adult maximum facility, Davison added.

The Crown countered that the other inmates at EYOC would be better off if Estacio was gone. One counsellor who worked closely with Estacio said he was a mature young man who could handle an adult facility, prosecutor Wade Marke said.

After the ruling on the publication ban, Evan's mother Diana Grykuliak wiped tears from her eyes as she shook the hand of media lawyer Sean Ward who acted on behalf of the Edmonton Journal and CBC Edmonton.

Placement decided

On August 29th, 2008 Judge James Koshman ruled that Dexter Ian Estacio would serve his sentence at a federal penitentiary.

Koshman wasn't convinced by defence arguments that his safety would be at risk in an adult facility, saying that safety is always an issue in prison and steps can be taken by federal corrections officials to minimize the risk, including solitary segregation.

Until February 2008, Estacio maintained he had no plans of giving up his drug-running lifestyle. Court heard he had since severed his ties with the Crazy Dragons gang.

Koshman noted Estacio's actions were at a level of maturity beyond his years and that he would have better access to treatment in an adult setting.

He cited experts who stated Estacio demonstrated "strength, composure and confidence," and that he interacts as an adult and functions as one (Estacio turns 19 on September 8th).

"Accordingly, he will be placed in a penitentiary," Koshman said.

A youth facility would be little more than a comfortable, unintimidating "holding facility" for the mature teenager, the judge said.

One psychologist said youth in the Edmonton Young Offender Centre would benefit if Estacio left, citing the convict's high profile made him a "revered" figure and a poor influence on others. The judge agreed agreed.

"Based on all of the evidence, it is my opinion that Dexter should be placed in an adult facility," Koshman ruled.

However, it was not announced which facility Estacio would be sent to.

Evan Grykuliak's family watched silently as sheriffs led a shackled Estacio away from his last scheduled court appearance. Outside court they declined comment.

Placement appealed

On September 2nd, 2008 Dexter Estacio filed a notice of appeal against a judge's decision that he serve his sentence at a federal penitentiary.

Three days later, Justice Sterling Sanderman granted a temporary stay of the transfer and ordered that Estacio be kept in the Edmonton Remand Centre until a October 10th, 2008 hearing into the matter.

In the notice of appeal, Estacio alleged Youth Court Judge James Koshman erred in both ruling that he be sentenced as an adult and in rejecting his wish to serve his sentence at the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre until he turned 20.

Memorial notices - November 19th, 2008

deadmonton 2006 - evan james grykuliak