A Mississauga mom of six and her common-law spouse have been found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2013 death of her former husband, Caleb Harrison. On a second charge of first-degree murder for Melissa Merritt in the 2010 death of her former mother-in-law, Bridget Harrison, the court declared a mistrial after the jury could not agree on a verdict. Christopher Fattore, Merritt’s spouse and co-accused, was found guilty of murdering Bridget, and not guilty on a charge of second-degree murder in the 2009 death of Bill Harrison, Bridget’s husband and Caleb’s father. A jury of 12 delivered the verdicts Saturday in Brampton after three days of deliberations. Merritt, 37, hung her head and cried quietly after the verdicts were read. Fattore, 40, showed no emotion. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges. The three members of the Harrison family were found dead in their home on Pitch Pine Cres. over a five-year span. Police did not classify the first two deaths as homicides until after Caleb was killed. The Crown alleged the Harrisons were killed at key moments in an acrimonious custody dispute with Merritt. First-degree murder, which means a murder that is planned and deliberate, comes with a mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison without parole. At trial, Fattore testified that he did kill his wife’s ex unintentionally after sneaking into his home in the middle of the night with a baseball bat. Fattore admitted to killing both Caleb and Bridget in an interview with police after his 2014 arrest, but recanted at trial, saying the confession was forced. Bridget, 63, was a beloved educator who worked as a teacher, principal and superintendant, primarily in the Peel school board. Bill, 64, an analyst for Sobeys, was a role model to his son, nieces and nephews. He volunteered as a baseball coach and Big Brother. Caleb, 40, worked for an electronic sales company. He was convicted of drunk driving in a 2005 crash that left a taxi driver dead ...
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