Judge calls murder of 85-year-old woman 'monstrous and evil' as he hands down sentence

A man with a lengthy criminal record who crept into the basement of an 85-year-old woman's home in Dartmouth, N.S., four years ago, strangled her and ransacked her bedroom has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 16 years.

In a decision released this week, Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice James Chipman called the murder of Eleanor Harding "monstrous and evil," and said Richard George Willis targeted a "truly helpless victim" who lived alone and couldn't defend herself from "the onslaught of violence."

"This was a predatory and disturbing crime — one that shocks not only the court but the very fabric of our society," the judge wrote.

Harding was found dead by her son on July 11, 2020, in the hallway of her Lynwood Drive home, more than a day after Willis choked her to death with a pair of jeans before stealing items, many of which were later found along nearby Waverley Road.

Willis, who is 66, has a criminal record that dates back to 1974, according to records submitted by the prosecution, and Chipman noted a number of thefts and robberies involved elderly people.

In one case, in 2001, Willis "viciously assaulted" an 82-year-old woman in her Winnipeg home, stealing cash and personal papers, and was later sentenced to 4½ years in prison.

"It is very concerning that Mr. Willis has continued to prey on elderly victims into his senior years," Chipman said. "His past crimes and the subject crime demonstrate both cowardly and predatory behaviour on a most vulnerable sector of society."

In victim impact statements, Harding's family members said she enjoyed "simple pleasures" like dancing, coffee with friends, berry picking and taking in the ocean air, and that she'd been independent and outgoing. Her son, Mark Harding, said her life was cut short by selfish greed and that Willis had shown no remorse. 

Her grandson, Alex Harding, wrote: "The brutal nature of my grandmother's murder has shattered my faith in humanity, leaving me grappling with the unsettling reality that individuals capable of such atrocities roam freely among us."

Willis was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder in the death of Harding following a trial in January. Murder carries an automatic life sentence, but a judge rules on when an offender is eligible to apply for parole.

The jury heard that Willis had once lived on Harding's street and he knew her. On the night of the murder, the judge said, he walked more than seven kilometres to her home and slipped through a basement window before killing her.

"Mr. Willis you literally took the life of a defenseless little old lady for no rhyme or reason," the judge wrote.

Chipman set parole eligibility at 20 years, but deducted four years to take into account the time Willis spent in jail while awaiting trial.