Marie Duverneau held up a picture of her slain brother before she spoke at his killer’s sentencing yesterday.
“He was a people-person. A man with a good heart, always helping others,” Duverneau said.
Her brother, Charles Cantave, 36, was fatally shot in the head by Cornelius Evans as he left Dorchester District Court last year.
Evans pleaded guilty to the murder yesterday.
Cantave, a manager at his parents’ Brockton auto shop, had a small claims action filed against him by Mario and Kenya Burns. The couple accused Cantave of selling them a faulty engine.
As Cantave walked from the courthouse, Mario Burns pointed him out to Evans, who accompanied the couple to the hearing.
When Cantave reached his car that was parked in a lot behind a church about a block from the courthouse, he was approached by Evans and shot. Evans then jumped into Burns’ car and fled with the couple.
Evans, 36, of Dorchester, was originally charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years.
During the hearing, Evans’ lawyer said he had nothing to add because of the automatic life in prison sentence.
As Evans pleaded guilty, some of Cantave’s sobbing family members left the courtroom.
In a written statement, Cantave’s parents said they “cry every day about the death of our loving son.”
