Pasifique Zawadi Niyonyishi killed his friend’s foster dad so he would feel lifelong pain over argument about a hotel room

A man who killed his friend’s foster father in a fit of rage over an argument about a hotel room has been jailed for life. Pasifique Zawadi Niyonyishi, 21, was sentenced in the WA Supreme Court for the murder of Colin Norton, 81, and attempted murder of Margaret Norton who was aged 75 when the incident occurred at their Perth home on March 4 last year. Mr and Mrs Norton were the foster parents of Charlie, who was a school friend of Niyonyishi, and had cared for him since he was three weeks old. Niyonyishi had been drinking heavily with friends the day before and was asked to leave the Mercure Hotel in Perth after he got into an argument with his childhood friend. Charlie had booked a hotel room using Niyonyishi’s bankcard and telephone number because he could not get a signal on his mobile phone but later transferred him money to pay for the hotel. The court was told the pair were seen on CCTV arguing in the hotel lobby and Niyonyishi had gotten in Charlie’s face. A hotel manager intervened and asked Niyonyishi to leave. Niyonyishi phoned several friends that morning and told them he wanted to kill Charlie because he felt disrespected and asked one of them to bring him a knife, but they did not take him seriously. He caught a taxi to Charlie’s parents house with the intention of killing them, so his friend would feel lifelong pain knowing they were dead. Niyonyishi arrived at the home about 7.40am and tricked his way inside, telling Mr Norton he had plans with their son and asked to wait in the home. While Mr Norton was doing jobs around the house, Niyonyishi took a knife from the kitchen then stabbed him. His wife heard the commotion from the bedroom and got up to see Mr Norton on the floor and Niyonyishi stabbing the dog who was trying to protect his owner. Niyonyishi then turned on Mrs Norton, chasing the elderly woman and stabbing her but she was able to escape and ran to a neighbour’s house for help. Mr Norton grabbed a long metal pole to ward of Niyonyishi, but the young man was able to wrestle the weapon from him and struck the back of his head causing fatal injuries. Niyonyishi went into his friend’s bedroom and changed his pants and shoes before he fled the scene. He was later picked up by police wandering the streets of a neighbouring suburb in Kingsley, and told officers he felt disrespected by his friend and killed his parents so he would carry pain knowing they were dead. Investigators found a blood soaked knife and blood stained metal pole at the home. A forensic psychiatrist, who gave evidence during sentencing, told the court Niyonyishi had witnessed violence from a young age when he lived at a Tanzanian refugee camp. He also witnessed his biological father assault his mother. The psychiatrist said Niyonyishi was experiencing hypermania when he attacked the Nortons and had undiagnosed bipolar and complex post traumatic stress disorder. Justice Michael Gething said during sentencing Mr Norton’s death would have been terrifying. “It must have been incredibly frightening for him, he suffered a terrifying attack,” he said. “Maggie was scared for her husband and her life, you chased her and kept stabbing her. “They both knew and trusted you, their vulnerability was increased because you had a knife. “Colin and Maggie did nothing to cause you angst, they were entirely innocent victims in this act.” Victim impact statements read out during sentencing said Mr Norton was a grandfather who was about to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary. His family remembered him as the kind of person who would help anyone and guarded and protected his wife to the end, which is the reason she survived. Justice Gething sentenced Niyonyishi to a non parole period of 18 years.