Ben Changanaqui, who was 17 when he committed the offence, was originally charged with first-degree murder.

He pled guilty to manslaughter and agreed to be sentenced as an adult.

According to assistant crown attorney Brian Adsett, Changanaqui was handed a seven-year sentence for his involvement in Walsh’s murder and will be transferred from a youth facility to a federal penitentiary to serve the remainder of his sentence.

An agreed statement of facts in the Walsh case indicates that Changanaqui was responsible for striking the victim over the head with a heavy-set candlestick holder numerous times.

An autopsy performed on October 11, 2006 revealed that Walsh suffered lacerations at the back of the head and forehead, “with the latter wound being associated with fracture of the frontal bone.”

The agreed statement of facts also indicated: “All the injuries noted on his body surface were consistent with blunt force injuries sustained as a result of him receiving blows to these areas.”

During the early morning hours of October 11, 2006, Changanaqui accompanied Dennis Muscat-Tyler, brothers Thomas and Shane Riordan and a 16-year-old Waterdown youth to the American House on Dundas Street East where Walsh resided.

The local youth drove the men to the location and stayed with the vehicle parked in a nearby alley while the four young men, wearing blue bandannas over their faces, broke into Walsh’s apartment.

Thomas Riordan shot and killed Walsh. He pled guilty to second-degree murder charges. His older brother Shane, who remained in the hallway of the Waterdown rooming house, pled guilty to manslaughter and received a seven-year sentence.

Dennis Muscat-Tyler was responsible for stabbing Walsh. He also pled guilty to second-degree murder charges.

According to Adsett, the Waterdown youth testified against the group of young men who intentionally planned to hurt Walsh in an attempt to get even for a drug deal gone wrong. He pled guilty to accessory after the fact and has completed a 15-month jail sentence and probation.