Teen receives maximum youth sentence in death of Pickering grandmother Eleanor Doney
15-year-old sentenced to five years in custody, four in community supervision, after pleading guilty to first-degree murder of 83-year-old retired teacher.
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An Oshawa judge imposed the maximum youth sentence Wednesday on a 15-year-old who pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Eleanor Doney, an 83-year-old Pickering grandmother and retired kindergarten teacher.
Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, Superior Court Justice Lisa Wannamaker sentenced the teen—who cannot be identified—to five years in custody followed by four years in the community as part of a supervised reintegration plan. With one year of pre-sentence custody credited, the total custodial term is six years, the maximum allowed for a youth sentence.
Doney was gardening in front of her Lynn Heights Drive home in Pickering on May 29, 2025, when the teen stabbed her eight times. She died at a hospital shortly after. The teen pleaded guilty to first-degree murder during an April hearing.
As part of the sentence, the teen received a lifetime weapons ban, submission of DNA to a national registry, and a non-communication order. Additional conditions apply to the supervised reintegration period.
The facts
Who was Eleanor Doney?
Eleanor Doney was an 83-year-old retired kindergarten teacher from Pickering who was killed on May 29, 2025.
What sentence did the teen receive?
The teen received five years in custody followed by four years in community supervision under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. With one year of pre-sentence custody credited, the total custodial term is six years, the maximum allowed for a youth sentence.
When was the sentence handed down?
The sentence was handed down on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, by Superior Court Justice Lisa Wannamaker in an Oshawa court.
What additional restrictions were imposed?
The teen received a lifetime weapons ban, mandatory submission of DNA to a national registry, and a non-communication order.
