Quebec man who fatally stabbed woman at Maxi store gets life in prison

A Quebec man found guilty of first-degree murder for a second time in the gruesome killing of a 20-year-old woman was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Randy Tshilumba learned his fate Wednesday at the Montreal courthouse after a jury convicted him earlier this month. On April 10, 2016, he walked into the Maxi grocery store on Cremazie Boulevard where Clemence Beaulieu-Patry was working and stabbed her 14 times.

First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence but the judge gave the victim's family time to address the court. Ten victim impact statements were submitted on Wednesday, including one from Beaulieu-Patry's parents.

The parents were overjoyed at the conclusion of the second trial. Many people in the courtroom were brought to tears and held each others' hands.

"This verdict gives us some peace knowing that the guilty party will not be able to apply for parole until 2049," said the victim's mother, Nathalie, according to a Noovo Info report.

Clemence Beaulieu-Patry was 20 years old when she was stabbed 14 times and killed in 2016. Her killer, Randy Tshilumba, was convicted of first-degree murder on July 8, 2024.

Tshilumba was found guilty in 2017, but he appealed the ruling, claiming he was not criminally responsible for the crime due to mental illness.

The Quebec Court of Appeal later overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial.

- With files from CTV Montreal's Stéphane Giroux and Noovo Info

• Listen on CJAD 800 Radio: Why did the Montreal Maxi store killer's case need a second trial?