Paranoid and high, man kills dad, takes photos of body, calls 911

Paranoid and sleep-deprived after a night of smoking crack, Donato Pellettieri stabbed his 64-year-old father 27 times, called 911 and waited outside their Maryland Avenue residence until police arrived minutes later and arrested him for murder, court was told Thursday.

“Paranoia led him to believe this was a kill-or-be-killed situation,” Crown attorney Joel Refvik told Court of King’s Bench Justice Ken Champagne. “This is an individual who, but for his drug use and paranoia, likely would not have killed his father.”

The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the July 2021 killing of Salvatore Pellettieri and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 10 years.

The resolution of his case was delayed by long periods in which he was mentally unfit to stand trial, and changed lawyers and awaited reports to determine whether he should be found not criminally responsible for his actions.

While a court-ordered forensic report found Pellettieri did not meet the criteria for a not criminally responsible finding, he has a history of mental health issues – including diagnoses of depression, anti-social, borderline personality, and substance use disorders – that affected his moral culpability for the killing, Refvik said.

“He was able to appreciate the nature and quality of his actions, as such an NCR defence is not present here, but mental health issues and substance use would have affected his behaviour,” Refvik said.

Donato had moved from Ontario two weeks prior to the killing to live with his father, with whom he had a fractious “love-hate” relationship.

Donato and Salvatore spent several hours smoking crack and using drugs at the residence and were joined for a time by three people Donato did not know.

Salvatore was standing in the kitchen when Donato stabbed him more than 20 times, causing him to fall to the floor. Five minutes later, Salvatore was gasping for air as Donato stabbed him a final time in the neck, killing him.

Donato took pictures of his dad lying dead on the floor and sent them to several people before calling 911. Donato told an emergency operator he had killed his father, that he placed the knife on top of the fridge and would wait outside for police.

In a video police interview, Donato admitted to killing his father “and further admitted that on other occasions he had thought of killing his father, but did not follow through with his actions,” Refvik said.

The forensic report said Donato “did have a belief that his father was trying to set him up and have him harmed, and it’s certainly possible that some of those fears were based in reality,” Refvik said.

Salvatore’s sister and husband were present in court, but did not provide victim impact statements.

“In discussing the matter with them it is clear they want the best for Donato but also have concerns about him and his ability to be a safe and law-abiding citizen in the community,” Refvik said.

Defence lawyer Pam Smith said her client never denied killing his father or exaggerated his mental illness to evade responsibility.

“He’s always wanted to take responsibility, but it took us five years to get here,” she said.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca