Article content continued

He had been charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the April 15, 2013, deaths of Jordan Segura, Lawrence Hong, Kaiti Perras, Joshua Hunter and Zackariah Rathwell.

After the ruling, defence counsel Allan Fay was permitted to read a statement from his client.

“I realize that through my illness I have done something horrible and ultimately wrong,” de Grood wrote.

“I take responsibility for these deaths and I acknowledge the immense suffering I have caused. My heart goes out to the families of the victims.

“I cannot apologize enough for your losses and I deeply regret that your loved ones aren’t with you anymore.

“I am sorry from the bottom of my heart,” he said.

De Grood also pledged to “take responsibility for my illness so nothing like this ever occurs again.

“I will control it (by) faithfully taking my medication and managing potential stressors,” he said. “I will follow doctor’s orders for the rest of my life.”

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or

Outside court, Hong’s younger brother, Miles, read in a prepared statement on behalf of the families of the five victims.

“The end of this trial is not the end of this journey for us, we continue to be broken,” Miles Hong said.

“The finding of NCR will be a recurring nightmare for our families,” he said.

“We ask that everyone remember the names: Zackariah Rathwell, Jordan Segura, Kaiti Perras, Lawrence Hong and Josh Hunter.

“We can all cherish their legacy by reminiscing moments together, living out their values and supporting others through the scholarships and foundations created in their memory.”