In a significant ruling focused on public protection, an Ontario judge has handed down a rare life sentence for manslaughter in the brutal 2020 killing of a beloved Toronto DJ.
A Sentence Beyond Recommendation
Ontario Superior Court Justice Robert Goldstein delivered the decisive judgment on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. The sentence for Rico Harvey, 33, went beyond the 16- to 20-year term requested by Crown prosecutors. Harvey was convicted by a jury in 2024 for the manslaughter of Peter Elie, 52, a popular DJ in the city's Gay Village known professionally as "Blue Peter."
Justice Goldstein firmly rejected the defence's request for time served, stating unequivocally that "Nothing less than a life sentence will protect the public." He described the May 2020 attack as "lengthy, shocking, brutal and deadly," adding that Harvey's actions were entirely unprovoked.
The Fatal Attack and a History of Illness
The incident occurred on May 13, 2020, just before midnight, at Elie's apartment building on Balliol Street. Security footage showed Harvey, who was homeless and had slipped into the building, sucker-punch Elie from behind. The attack escalated horrifically, with Harvey punching the victim at least six times, kicking him four times, and stomping on his body. He then dragged Elie into a bathroom, later struck him with a fire extinguisher, and emptied garbage on him.
Court heard that Harvey has battled severe mental illness since age 20, with diagnoses including depression, bipolar disorder, and anti-social personality disorder. Dr. Sumeeta Chatterjee, a forensic psychiatrist, assessed Harvey as a "high risk" to reoffend violently if not in a strictly supervised setting where he takes prescribed medication and abstains from cannabis.
"He has never willingly abstained from illegal drugs, nor taken his prescribed medications for long periods of time except under very strict controls and supervision," Dr. Chatterjee testified. "When he does that he is a danger to himself and others."
Community Mourning and Judicial Reasoning
Peter Elie, remembered as kind and gentle, was a fixture at venues like Woody's for over two decades. Following his death, the 519 Church Street Community Centre paid tribute, noting he "was the heart and soul of many of our gathering spaces."
Justice Goldstein emphasized the extreme nature of the crime, calling it a manslaughter "as close to a murder as it is possible for a manslaughter to be." He noted Harvey's actions after the beating—setting a garbage fire in the laundry room—further endangered building residents.
The judge concluded that Harvey's incurable mental illness and pattern of behaviour necessitated permanent supervision. "The protection of the public requires that Mr. Harvey never be in a position where he's unsupervised," Goldstein stated. "Lives may literally depend on it."
