Shaquille Perrera Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2023 Christmas Eve Murder

Thirty-one-year-old Shaquille Perrera will spend at least the next three decades behind bars after being sentenced today for the 2023 Christmas Eve murder of Darnelle Puerto and the attempted murder of Jehvon Ramclam. Justice Nigel Pilgrim imposed a life sentence for the murder, with the possibility of parole only after Perrera serves a minimum of 30 years. He was also sentenced to 17 years for the attempted murder of Ramclam, with both sentences ordered to run concurrently and backdated to December 28, 2023, when Perrera was first remanded into custody. In handing down the sentence, Justice Pilgrim said he was guided by the need to impose a just and appropriate punishment, taking into account the legal framework, the aggravating and mitigating factors, as well as Perrera’s period of pretrial detention.  The judge noted that while he considered imposing a fixed-term sentence, he ultimately concluded that a life sentence was warranted, particularly because the murder was committed in a public setting and involved the use of an illegal firearm. Justice Pilgrim said the court also had a duty to send a strong message that firearm-related violence would attract severe consequences.  The court found several aggravating factors. The attack occurred at the home of Jehvon Ramclam while he and Puerto were socializing during a Christmas gathering. Justice Pilgrim said Perrera violated the sanctity of the home and that the attack demonstrated planning, as he arrived armed and opened fire. He also pointed to Perrera’s previous convictions for robbery and firearm-related offences, which increased the seriousness of the case.  The judge also considered the impact on the victims and their family. In a victim impact statement, Ramclam described enduring sleepless nights, chronic pain from being shot four times, an inability to perform physical work, and an ongoing fear for his safety. The mother of the Ramclam family also told the court that Puerto had been like a son to her and that his death had deeply affected the family.  Justice Pilgrim initially arrived at a sentence equivalent to 32 years because of the aggravating factors. However, he reduced that by three years after considering Perrera’s good behavior while on remand, the testimony of his mother and sister during mitigation, and evidence that he had been abandoned by his father and raised by his grandmother. Even with those deductions, the court ordered that Perrera must serve a minimum of 30 years before becoming eligible for parole.  Justice Pilgrim declined to order the sentences to run consecutively, finding that both offences arose from the same course of conduct. He concluded that the concurrent sentences appropriately reflected “the horror” Perrera unleashed on the Ramclam family.  Perrera was convicted on June 5 following a judge-alone trial. In delivering the guilty verdict, Justice Pilgrim found the prosecution’s key witness, surviving victim Jehvon Ramclam, to be credible, honest, and reliable.  Ramclam testified that he and Puerto were at his Maskall Street home on Christmas Eve 2023 when Perrera approached and opened fire. He told the court he had an unobstructed view of the gunman for up to 30 seconds under a nearby streetlight and positively identified Perrera as the shooter. Ramclam also testified that he had seen Perrera several months before the attack and recognized him immediately.  Perrera was represented by attorney Joanna Zuniga-Stewart, while Crown Counsel Kirk Brown appeared for the prosecution.