Andrew Murray had 'taken mother's life' long before shooting her in alcohol-withdrawal psychosis, sister says

Through tears and with the Calgary Police Service's trauma dogHawk by her side, Lisa Shaw described for the court what it was like to lose her mother at her brother's hand when she was five months pregnant with her first child.

"The same day you took Mom, you took me," Shaw told her brother, Andrew Douglas Murray, ashis sentencing hearing began Monday. "I feel bad for wishing it was someone else, anyone else. For wishing it was you."

The Calgary man shot his mother, Lois Murray, in the back of the neck whilestaying at her home for the Thanksgiving weekendin October2013.

Originally charged with first-degree murder, Murray pleaded guilty to manslaughter last June.

A forensic psychiatric assessment found Murray suffered an alcohol-inducedpsychotic disorder brought on by withdrawal at the time of the killing, according to an agreed statement of facts.

At Monday's sentencing hearing,Shaw said her mother had been her best friend and described how she had fantasizedabout spending every day of her maternity leave together.

"In the years leading to her death, you had already taken her life," said Shaw of her mother's efforts to get Murray sober.

The destruction you have caused is sometimes just a ripple beneath the surface and sometimes a tidal wave.- Lisa Shaw, whose mother was killed by her brother

"It is my hope that you will honour our mother's greatest wish and get sober."

Shaw pausedto gather herself,then told her brother that despite her hopes and prayers for him, their relationship was over.

"The destruction you have caused is sometimes just a ripple beneath the surface and sometimes a tidal wave," she said.

"It's not just Mom who will be missing when you reach the other side of prison."

Mother called 'biggest supporter' in son's attempts to get sober

Murray's father, Colin, also testified at the sentencing hearing, paintinga picture of his son's battle with alcohol that began when he was in high school.

He said his son sometimes tried to quit including two stints in a treatment facility but had relapsed every time.

Colin said his wifewanted her son to get clean.

"She was his biggest supporter," said Colin Murray.

Murray said he was hearing voices for days

After the shooting, Murraycalled 911 and waited outsidefor emergency responders to arrive.

"I just murdered my mom," Murray told a 911 operator.

He was found sitting on thecurb outside her home and arrested at the scene.

He told the 911 operator and police that he'd been hearing voices in his head for about five days leading up to the killing.

At the time, Murray who had been an alcoholic for a decade had recently gotten out ofa treatment facility.

The sentencing hearing is to continue. The judge will also hear from a forensic psychiatrist.

It's still unclear what the prosecution and defence will propose for a sentence.

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