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57 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,D ecem ber 6,2018 insidehalton.com A Montreal man, who has pleaded guilty to at- tempted murder, listened Wednesday, Nov. 28 asWednesday, Nov. 28 asW family members of his vic-family members of his vic-f tim talked about the shat- tering impact he has had on their lives. Marley Dorphelus ap- peared in Milton court as the proceedings for his sentencing got underway. The 22-year-old was ar- rested Aug. 4, 2017 follow- ing a shooting on Corn- wall Road, which left one man, whom the court identified as Matthew Rodgers, 36, in critical condition. Police called the shoot- ing targeted noting short- ly before 11 a.m., Rodgers was ambushed by three men in the vicinity of the Sunset Grill at 361 Corn- wall Rd. He was pursued into the street where he was shot in the head. Two suspects fled the scene and remain at large. Dorphelus, who wit- nesses said was armed with a handgun, was chased by a Halton police officer. He was arrested after the officer cornered him in the rear lot of a Davis Road business, which was surrounded by high barbed wire fencing. Rodgers' wife, Ashley, testified that her husband has been in a semi-con- scious vegetative state since the shooting. Dorphelus' motive for committing this crime has yet to be articulated before the court. Rodgers was known to police, however, he was al- so a husband and father to five young children.five young children.f In her victim impact statement Ashley told the court and Dorphelus about the devastating im- pact the shooting has had on her family. "It has been just over a year since Matt Rodgers was shot - gunned down as he ran. He was shot with a hollow-point bullet, which tore into the back portion of his brain, the part that supports walking, talking, thinking, etc.," said Ash- ley. "I was five months preg- nant with four children at home ... It was a nightmare going to the hospital and being told he would never live, being asked to take him off life support, being told he would never walk or talk or communicate at all ever again. What do I tell the kids?" Ashley said her hus- band would never hold their new baby or take his other children to hockey practice, be able to teach them right from wrong. She said her life is over. She noted all five chil- dren are now struggling, with some constantly clinging to her, afraid to let go. For days following the shooting, Ashley said the children waited at the front door for their fatherfront door for their fatherf to come home. She says she is afraid of what the future will bring and questions how she will support her children. "In one gesture you wiped out our little family. As Matt ran away you gunned him down and with that shot you played God. You decided Matt's children should be with- out a daddy," said Ashley. "Was it worth it?" Ashley described her husband as a wonderful man who was physically and emotionally strong, but who would also change diapers, watch car- toons with his kids and let the children ride him like a horse to make them hap- py. Those present also heard from Rodgers' fa- ther John whose written statement was read by Crown Attorney Charon Kerr. John said his heart is broken and his rage at times is all consuming over what was done to his son. He said when he closes his eyes he is haunted by the image of Dorphelus chasing Rodgers down and shooting him. "It is a nightmare that doesn't stop and I can't ex- tricate it from my mind," reads the statement. "M.D. does not know Matt or anything about him. This was not a crime of passion or revenge or accident that can be ex- plained. It was the most callous and cold-hearted crime a person could com- mit and it was completely premeditated ... M.D. had no reason to shoot my son except for greed, money or a desire to gain prestige in his gang. To know that to him my son's life was worth so little and he was so disposable consumes me with anguish I cannot find the words to express."find the words to express."f NEWS 'IN ONE GESTURE YOU WIPED OUT OUR LITTLE FAMILY' MONTREAL MAN TO BE SENTENCED FOR CORNWALL ROAD SHOOTING The Cornwall Road crime scene following the Aug. 4, 2017 shooting. Graham Paine/Metroland DAVID LEA dlea@metroland.com See FATHER'S, page 58