Cape Dorset man sentenced to life in prison for murdering stepbrother

A judge has sentenced Peter Kingwatsiak to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Kingwatsiak, from Cape Dorset, Nunavut, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his stepbrother in February. He admitted to shooting Mappaluk Adla in September 2010, but his lawyer had argued the murder charge should be reduced to manslaughter because Kingwatsiak was high on gasoline fumes at the time of the homicide.

Kingwatsiak gave varying testimony at his trial last June.At one pointhe said he blacked out during the killing and only came to after he had shot Adla in the forehead. Later he testified that he intentionally shot Adla but onlymeant to hit him in the arm and wound him.

Kingwatsiak appeared at his sentencing in Cape Dorset on Friday, where he heard victim impact statements.

Justice BonnieTulloch also sentenced himfor an attack on his uncle a few hours prior toAdla's murder. At his trial, Kingwatsiak testified that he sniffed gasoline and blacked out. He said when he regained consciousness he was stabbing his uncle.

Hereceived a one-year concurrent sentence for the aggravated assault.

Kingwatsiak is being held at a detention centre in Iqaluit. He'll eventually be transferred to a federal penitentiary in southern Canada.