A Sooke man charged in his mother's homicide told police the day her body was found that she was generally a good woman, but she'd turned cold recently.
At the first day of a three-day sentencing hearing, the crown requested Michael James McCormick serve 12 to 15 years in prison. The 36-year old pleaded guilty to manslaughter in mid-October. The defence will make its sentencing submission later in the hearing.
Sixty-four year-old Pamella Dyer was found lying dead in her living room in 2014. The court has heard a number of food items had been dumped on her already prone body. A forensic report found she suffered 25 rib fractures, and she likely died from her injuries interfering with her ability to breathe.
The crown told the court that Dyer did what she could for her crystal meth-addicted son, but was pulling back in the weeks prior to her death in the hope he would learn to fend for himself.
The court heard the two frequently argued, sometimes requiring police to attend. Dyer told police in one of their final interactions that she feared her son and that his rambling and odd behaviour had been escalating.