Two sisters of murder victim Lloyd Robert Sarson said they lost a caring and fun-loving brother.
“Lloyd was a loving and kind man who cared so much for his family, his sisters and his friends,” said Jenny Zollerano.
“Even (the accused) was treated with so much love.”
The tragedy of his death at age 25 does not stop with their family.
They also have sympathy for the 21-year-old who was convicted on Friday of their brother’s death. The accused was only 17 when he turned on Sarson and shot him eight times on New Year’s Day 2013.
“There’s no closure on this. Two lives have been ruined,” said Jenny, who named her son after Lloyd, who was the youngest of four siblings. Her son was only four months old when his uncle died before he had a chance to meet his young nephew.
Frances Sarson is saddened that the accused and her brother did not get the support they needed when younger. Both men were involved in the local drug trade. The convicted man told the court he began selling drugs when he was 10 years old.
“There’s a lot of work that could have been done earlier in (the accused’s) and Lloyd’s lives that was left undone,” said Frances Sarson, who lives in Winnipeg, as does a third sister.
“I am grieving for both of them. Lloyd lost a future and I don’t know what (the accused’s) future will be.”
Frances praised the efforts of police in investigating their brother’s death and bringing the man who killed him to justice.
“I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation to the team of investigators that were willing to do all the work they could in my brother’s murder, and to treat him like a person, who was funny and loved and deserved that last respect,” she said.
Frances thanked eyewitness Chato Tootoosis for coming forward and telling the court what he saw that night.
“Without him we would have been left with so many more unanswered questions. That just makes it a little easier to bear.
“Chato proved himself a real man and a real friend this week.”
As far as sentencing, both sisters hope that whatever happens the accused gets help.
“I care that he is given the opportunity to be the man my brother thought he could be,” said Frances. “That’s what I want for him.”
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com