Third culprit convicted in senseless slaying of photojournalist
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Justice was delayed but eventually swift as a third man was convicted in the senseless slaying of promising music journalist and photographer Zack Noureddine.
It took a jury a day and a half to convict William Cummins, 34, of first-degree murder and assault for the deadly beating of Noureddine, 25, and attack on his pal Mitchell Conery on Dec. 29, 2015 in a mid-town Toronto neighbourhood.
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In April this year, Patrick Smith, 29, who was convicted of second-degree murder, was sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 12 years while his co-accused killer, Matthew Moreira, 34, was jailed for 13 years for manslaughter.
Cummins floored Conery with a sucker-punch followed by Moreira stopping Conery from intervening to save Noureddine, his mentor.
Zack’s overjoyed parents, Magda and Hassan Noureddine, hugged Crown attorney Bev Richards and thanked Toronto Police for their investigation that brought all of their son’s killers to justice.
“We didn’t just lose Zack that night, on Dec. 15,” Zack’s father told reporters afterwards.
“We lost four people, three went to jail and one was murdered.
“The criminals are locked up. It’s not just the victim who loses here. We have to stop people from engaging in a life of crime because it leads to heartache for themselves and their loved ones,” said Hassan.
“William Cummins was the driver of this homicide … it’s a rightful conviction,” said Hassan.
Justice Robert Clark will pass sentence on Cummins Wednesday, although he’s already serving the mandatory life sentence without parole for 25 years.
When Cummin’s two cohorts were sentenced this spring after a jury trial, Justice Suhail Akhtar said the two killers “took great pleasure in re-living” their senseless acts of violence.
“Zack Noureddine‘s death was the result of a premeditated and vicious beating. He was a young man to whom life promised much and who himself offered much to life,” said Akhtar.
While Noureddine and Conery were walking to their car in midtown Toronto, Smith, Moreira and Cummins targeted the two men and attacked them without reason or warning, said Akhtar.
Noureddine was being pummeled with such force that shocked onlookers “believed he was going to die,” said Akhtar.
“This was what was being celebrated in the elevator (when they returned to their apartment afterwards.”
When the bystanders rushed to Noureddine‘s aid, his assailants fled.
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