A man who once targeted and robbed elderly women in their homes in Winnipeg has been handed a life sentence for robbing and murdering an 85-year-old woman in her home in Dartmouth, N.S.
Richard George Willis, 66, must serve at least 16 more years behind bars before asking for parole for what a judge called the “monstrous and evil” 2020 murder of Eleanor Harding.
Willis was found guilty of second-degree murder after a January trial.
A jury heard that Willis once lived on Harding’s street and knew her. On the night of the murder he walked more than seven kilometres to her home and slipped in through a basement window before killing her.
Harding’s son found her dead on July 11, 2020 in the hallway of her home, more than a day after Willis choked her to death with a pair of jeans before stealing items.
“Mr. Willis has a troubling criminal record of violence, including convictions where he targeted elderly victims,” said Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice James Chipman in an Aug. 1 written decision to decide Willis’ parole eligibility.
Chipman’s decision details Willis’ criminal history, which includes 30 separate convictions in Winnipeg from the late 1970s through 2001, according to records submitted to court by prosecutors.
Prior to the murder conviction, he’s been sentenced in his lifetime to an accumulated total of more than 20 years behind bars for crimes committed in Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Ontario, according to the records.
Twice targeted Winnipeg seniors in their homes
In his final Winnipeg conviction before returning to Nova Scotia, Willis was handed more than four years in prison for breaking into an 82-year-old woman’s home in February 2001 and “viciously” assaulting and robbing her.
“He caused bruising to her arms and a 1.5″ laceration to the top of her head. [Willis] subsequently ransacked the residence, stole cash, personal papers, and fled the scene,” said Chipman.
About three months before that, Willis roughed up a 79-year-old Winnipeg woman in her home to steal cash from her. The woman had previously hired him to help weed her garden. He turned up at her home and, as a ruse, asked to use her washroom.
The woman complied and let him in. When the woman grew suspicious the water wasn’t running she found him in the washroom rifling through her wallet. “He left the bathroom and grabbed her from behind and demanded to know where her money was,” said Chipman.
The victim pressed a personal alarm she wore to summon help and Willis fled. He was sentenced to more than two years for the robbery.
“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.”
Took woman’s life for ‘no rhyme or reason’
Harding’s family spoke in court of the grief they felt at her loss.
“To lose a mother due to someone’s selfish greed and total disregard of a precious life is heart-wrenching,” one of her sons told Chipman in a victim impact statement.
Willis expressed his condolences to Harding’s family in court, said Chipman.
The jury who heard the case was offered a chance to recommend the number of years Willis should spend locked up before being able to ask for parole.
“The jury provided strong parole ineligibility recommendations — six jurors recommended 20 years and three jurors recommended 18 years. It is noteworthy that the jury was not aware of Mr. Willis’ prior criminal record,” said Chipman.
Prosecutors sought 22 years.
Chipman ordered 20, backdated to the date of Willis’ arrest about four years ago.
“It was not enough for you to break and enter and ultimately ransack her home and steal from Ms. Harding,” Chipman told him. “You chose to murder her in cold blood, waking her from her sleep in the sanctity of her own home.
“Your actions were monstrous and evil, said the judge. “You literally took the life of a defenceless little old lady for no rhyme or reason.”