Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­

Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Guilty plea possible in 2018 B.C. manslaughter case

Abeal Abera was rushed to hospital in critical condition in June 2018 and died a week later.
bc-provincial-court4
Benny Rae Armstrong appeared by video in Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­Provincial Court Room 102 on Nov. 12.

A man accused of manslaughter may soon plead guilty in connection with a 2018 Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­stabbing incident.

On June 23, 2018, a fight occurred on West Hastings Street near the intersection with Abbott Street, the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­Police Department said.

Abeal Negussie Abera, 26, was stabbed and died of his injuries a week after he was rushed to hospital in critical condition.

Benny Rae Armstrong appeared by video before Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­Provincial Court Judge Jennifer Oulton on Nov. 13.

Crown prosecutor Patrick Fullerton suggested the case go over to Nov. 27 for the entering of a plea and ordering of reports.

Fullerton said the Crown would present a brief summation of the circumstances “so the judge is confident in accepting the plea.”

Oulton agreed to Nov. 27 for Armstrong intending to enter a guilty plea.

Armstrong is represented by lawyer Lionel Farmer.

At the time of Abera’s death, police said they didn’t believe the attack was random and there was no risk to the general public.

On March 26, 2024, police announced Armstrong, 38, had been arrested four days earlier in connection to the stabbing.

The death was Vancouver’s 10th homicide of 2018.