The jury has found Robert Belbin guilty of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of 22-year-old Seamus Secord.
Secord passed away in the area of Mayor Avenue in St. John’s on February 7th of 2023 after he was stabbed repeatedly.
The trial heard that Belbin and the victim were good friends, but a dispute erupted over missing Dilaudid pills, worth $30,000.
Belbin, 21 at the time, admitted stabbing Secord, but claimed it was in self-defence.
The jury’s verdict was delivered over the lunch hour, four days after being sequestered.
Belbin escorted from court after verdict. pic.twitter.com/dIeJHauxzH
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Belbin, who showed no emotion throughout the trial, turned to his sobbing mother in the courtroom and uttered the words “I love you mom” before being led away in handcuffs by Sheriff’s Officers.
During the trial the court heard that the last words spoken by Seamus Secord before he died were “tell my mom I love her.”
The victim’s mother was not in the courtroom for the verdict.
Belbin was also found guilty of breaching conditions of the release he was on at the time of the murder.
Second-degree murder comes with a mandatory life sentence, with parole eligibility set by the judge between 10 and 25 years.
That will be decided after the sentencing hearing, which won’t happen until January 23rd due to scheduling conflicts and the need to prepare a pre-sentence report.
Belbin will also get credit for the lengthy time he has spent in custody at HMP since the murder, which will also be calculated at that time.
