Man found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in stabbing death of his cousin in Hamilton

A 22-year-old man was found guilty of second-degree murder on Friday in the stabbing death of his cousin on Hamilton Mountain last year.

Sixteen-year-old Mark Bistoyong was sitting in the dining room of his uncle’s home on July 2, 2023, when Laureano (Lawrence) Bistoyong took a kitchen knife and stabbed the teen in the chest.

During the court proceedings, the accused’s brother testified the boys were playing a game of basketball outside at a nearby park when it became aggressive.

The group decided to stop playing and return to the address on Cadham Boulevard near Upper Gage Avenue. It wasn’t until they got back to the home that the stabbing occurred.

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Before delivering his verdict, the judge presiding over the case told the courtroom this was a “heartbreaking event,” and was “an impulsive act, driven by frustration.”

Laureano is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 18 for his sentencing.

That same day, between 35 and 40 people are expected to deliver victim impact statements.

Mark has been described by family and friends as a loving, outgoing and charismatic young man who was “athletic and full of life.”

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