John Christopher ArriZza was sentenced to life prison for the second degree murder of Ethan Enns-Goneau, which occurred in a Banff bar, in Alberta, in August 2022. He will have to serve 12 years before being admissible for parole.
In September 2024, John Christopher ArriZza was found guilty of the second degree murder of Ethan Enns-Goneau, then 26, after nine hours of deliberations of the jury. The assault qualified as not caused
by the court took place on August 5, 2022, at Dancing Sasquatch, in Banff.
According to the facts reported in front of the jurors and supported by the images of the security cameras, Ethan Ens-Goneau arrived at the bar around 1:30 am and headed for the toilet. About a minute later, he was expelled from them by John Christopher ArriZza, after the latter stabbed him several times with a hunting knife.
Boners intervened, but Ethan Ens-Goneau died of his injuries. An autopsy revealed eight stab wounds.
John Christopher Arrizza’s lawyer pleaded her client’s poisoning. The two men did not know each other before the murder.
A community in shock
The judge Robert Hall received 26 declarations concerning the impact of this attack. Gloria Enns-Goneau, the mother of the victim, described her trauma and underlined the injustice of the situation, saying that her son was a nice person.
I am tortured by the cruel way you were killed, and by all the life that you have never been able to live. It’s so unfair. You didn’t even know him.
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A declaration of Lori Ann Petersthe partner of the victim was read, describing the immense loss and the intense pain caused by the death of his companion.
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The murder occurred at the Banff Dancing Sasquatch bar. (Archives photo)
Photo : Radio-Canada / Jo Horwood
On the other hand, 14 letters of recommendation were submitted in favor of John Christopher Arrizza. In addition to serving his life sentence, he is also the subject of a ban on having weapons.
With information from Megan Yamoah
