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Teen gets life for killings at Chelios’ restaurant

Former busboy Blackshere stabbed two employees to death in January

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updated 7:51 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2007

DETROIT - An 18-year-old will spend the rest of his life in prison for the stabbing deaths of two employees at a restaurant owned by Detroit Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios.

Justin Blackshere, of Detroit, was sentenced Friday morning to life without parole for the Jan. 2 slayings.

The former busboy at Cheli’s Chili Bar was convicted last month on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of chef Mark Barnard, 52, and restaurant manager Megan Soroka, 49.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Helen Brown called Blackshere “pathological” before announcing the sentence.

Blackshere had been fired twice — the final time in November — and told investigators he went to the downtown restaurant to get his job back.

He stabbed Barnard 28 times with a cooking knife after being told to leave. He then stabbed Soroka 14 times before fleeing with about $10,000 from the restaurant’s safe.

Blackshere was videotaped by a security camera, recognized by former co-workers and was wearing a bloody shirt when arrested later that day.

He told relatives of his victims Friday he was sorry for their loss and thanked his family for not giving up on him.

“Mark and Megan were exceptional people and we will do our best to keep their spirit alive,” Chelios said in a statement. “I ask you to continue to keep Mark and Megan and their families in your thoughts and prayers.”

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