Man sentenced in Sudbury for 1998 Renee Sweeney murder

After being found guilty of second-degree murder in March in the brutal 1998 stabbing death of Renee Sweeney in Sudbury, Robert Steven Wright received his sentence Thursday morning.

After being found guilty of second-degree murder in March in the brutal 1998 stabbing death of Renee Sweeney in Sudbury, Robert Steven Wright received his sentence Thursday morning.

The murder conviction has an automatic life sentence, but Justice Robbie Gordon was tasked with determining when Wright will be eligible for parole.

Gordon ruled Wright, 43, will be eligible for parole after serving 12 years.

The range for second-degree murder is 10 to 25 years. The defence had asked for 10, the Crown 18 and jury members each recommended parole eligibility between 20 to 25 years.

Wright has been in jail since his arrest in North Bay on Dec. 11, 2018, and will receive credit for time served in pre-sentencing custody.

In his decision, Gordon said he considered parity to other offenders sentenced to the same crime and that the sentence cannot be based on emotion or vengeance.