Sentencing for Sudbury woman guilty of brutal murder reportedly slowed

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It looks like the Sudbury woman convicted of brutally stabbing an elderly man to death almost four years ago won’t be sentenced to prison until next year.

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Felicity Altiman will return to Sudbury court on Dec. 17, where she will be given updates on two reports ordered regarding her sentencing.

Defense lawyer Stephen Hinkson requested a pre-sentence report and Gladue report to assist the judge with sentencing options for people of First Nation heritage.

A jury found Altiman guilty of second-degree murder earlier this year.

His conviction carries an automatic sentence of 25 years to life in prison. The only thing that remains to be determined is when he will be eligible for parole. Altiman, 42, has been in custody for nearly four years, and that time will be considered ineligibility for parole.

The jury determined that he stabbed Robert Keskinen in his International Hotel apartment on December 25, 2020. His cousin and the building manager found him in his unit on December 26, 2020.

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The court heard Altiman and Keskinen had been drinking together at the flat. He has told people in the past that Keskinen stole money from his wallet after he was asleep.

As a result of the autopsy, it was determined that Keskinen was stabbed 103 times; The stab wound to the left anterior carotid artery is probably the fatal one. His scrotum was also found cut off from his genital area and stuffed down his throat along with some pieces of food.

The court heard Altiman left a party at the International Festival on December 24-25 and returned with some of Keskinen’s belongings, including his clothes, boots and beer.

He had changed his clothes and cleaned himself up, but blood and DNA evidence at the murder scene and at the International linked him to the attack. Witnesses also said they saw him with a steak knife the night of the murder.

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The defense claimed that Altiman was already dead when he got to Keskinen’s home. “Felicity Altiman is guilty of theft, perhaps she made a bad judgment,” Hinkson told the jury. “But he’s not guilty of murder.”

But assistant Crown attorney Kaely Whillans said evidence points to Altiman as the killer.

“Felicity Altiman needed money and went to a place where she knew she had once received money,” Whillans said. “He went to Bob’s apartment. He was hoping to steal money from his wallet.

“When things didn’t go as planned, he still found a way to get his belongings. “He began stabbing her repeatedly until she fainted and killed her.”

Whillan also addressed the testimony of Altiman’s brother. He testified that Altiman called him in January 2021 and said, “I really need to talk about something before I hear about it on the news.”

Whillans said Altiman “had the opportunity, knowledge and ability to steal from Mr. Keskinen.” This time, everything was not as easy as in the past…

“Felicity Altiman brutally, senselessly and callously stabbed Mr. Keskinen more than 100 times, then humiliated him by skinning off his testicles. Guilt is the only logical conclusion.”

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