Eight victim impact statements painted a picture of how the 2017 stabbing death of Fort Good Hope father Lloyd Edgi affected family and friends emotionally, physically and financially.

They formed "a testament to the strong bonds (Edgi) has formed throughout his life," Crown prosecutor Jill Andrews said during Colten McNeely's sentencing hearing in NWT Supreme Court Monday.

In the early morning of Sept. 3, 2017, McNeely, then 24, drunkenly stabbed Edgi, 28, nine times in Fort Good Hope. McNeely was charged with second degree murder but later convicted of the lesser crime of manslaughter following a two week trial last year. 

In the judge alone trial, Justice Andrew Mahar accepted the defence that McNeely was acting in order to defend himself.

McNeely and Edgi had been arguing over an affair between EdgiSA国际影视传媒檚 partner and McNeely. McNeely apparently armed himself with a knife to go and smooth things over with Edgi. When Edgi began pushing and hitting him, McNeely used his knife to stop the assault. 

The Crown submits a seven to eight year term of imprisonment is appropriate given the high level of moral blameworthiness associated with the use of a weapon SA国际影视传媒� especially since all stab wounds were to the front chest area where the offender is SA国际影视传媒渁lmost certain to cause serious harm or lethal injury,SA国际影视传媒� Andrews said. 

SA国际影视传媒淐olten was reckless,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that the use of a knife was SA国际影视传媒渆xcessive, unreasonable self-defence and ended the life of a beloved young man.SA国际影视传媒�

Defence lawyer Peter Harte argued a sentence of four to five years would be more appropriate, suggesting the imprisonment be followed by three years of probation. 

He acknowledged the difficulties of EdgiSA国际影视传媒檚 loved ones in the public gallery, but reminded the court that McNeely is the subject of the sentencing hearing. 

SA国际影视传媒淭he loss canSA国际影视传媒檛 be fixed by the sentencing process,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not as though tragedy becomes any less tragic because (McNeely) is sentenced to 10 years rather than five.SA国际影视传媒� 

Based on the pre-sentence report, Harte called the stabbing SA国际影视传媒渋ncredibly at oddsSA国际影视传媒� with who McNeely is.

Harte said McNeely told him he would live a sober life to avoid future dealings with the law.

EdgiSA国际影视传媒檚 cousins, aunts, sister, mother, and partner told the court about EdgiSA国际影视传媒檚 SA国际影视传媒渂ig laugh,SA国际影视传媒� the way he cared for his two children, his strong work ethic, about his love of food and family and sports and how his absence is felt at family gatherings. 

One aunt, Beverly Masuzumi, told the court about the stool where Edgi had always sat to eat his Christmas and Easter dinners. That stool has since been left empty in his memory. 

She described Edgi as a SA国际影视传媒渉ard worker, kindhearted person, and a doting father.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淎untie will always love you,SA国际影视传媒� Masuzumi said in her statement. SA国际影视传媒淯ntil we meet again.SA国际影视传媒�

With common-law partner, Jeanette Kakfwi, Edgi was fathering his eight-year-old son and five-year-old daughter. In his absence, Kakfwi told the court their daughter SA国际影视传媒渃ries and prays for her daddy everyday.SA国际影视传媒�

Kakfwi said she is confused about why Edgi has not returned home and asks if the family can visit him in heaven. 

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know how to explain this to my five-year-old,SA国际影视传媒� she said. 

Their son, she said, SA国际影视传媒渋s completely broken.SA国际影视传媒� 

She told the court that the family had plans to move back to Fort Smith to allow her to finish her Bachelor of Education. Edgi had planned to start a business, she said, and had obtained a business license a month before he was killed. 

SA国际影视传媒淭here were so many good things we wanted to do,SA国际影视传媒� she said. 

Now she said she feels SA国际影视传媒渁ngry, traumatized, and disconnected from life.SA国际影视传媒� 

SA国际影视传媒淧hysically I never knew you could feel your heart strings breakSA国际影视传媒�

Edgi SA国际影视传媒渕ade an impression on everyone who came into his life,SA国际影视传媒� she told the court. SA国际影视传媒淗e could sit with someone for a short time and pull out that personSA国际影视传媒檚 best characteristics and make them feel so special and proud.SA国际影视传媒�

After hearing the numerous teary statements from EdgiSA国际影视传媒檚 family and friends, many of whom were McNeelySA国际影视传媒檚 friends as well, McNeely expressed his sense of "shame" to the court.

SA国际影视传媒淚 wish I could take (Edgi)SA国际影视传媒檚 familySA国际影视传媒檚 pain away,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f time in jail could bring (Edgi) back ISA国际影视传媒檇 be happy to serve all the time ISA国际影视传媒檝e got.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 ashamed,SA国际影视传媒� he said, adding that he hopes the community of Fort Good Hope can one day forgive him.

Mahar is expected to deliver McNeely's sentence on Wednesday morning.