Keni Su'a was killed when he was shot outside Bolsa Restaurant. 

Calgary gangster Real Honorio entered a surprise guilty plea Monday for his involvement in the city’s 2009, New Year’s Day massacre.

Honorio pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally shooting innocent bystander Keni Su’a as he fled the Bolsa restaurant on Jan. 1. 2009.

He had faced three counts of first-degree murder.

Su’a was gunned down as he fled the restaurant as two masked men entered and opened fire on gangster Sanjeev Mann and his associate, Aaron Bendle.

Mann was targeted by members of the FOB gang and Bendle, who was kidnapped the night before, was used by the killers to ambush him.

Nathan Zuccherato, who worked out a plea deal to cut in half the number of first-degree murder charges he faced, pleaded guilty in March to Bendle’s killing and the slaying of two others at a northeast Calgary restaurant two months earlier.

Zuccherato was sentenced to life in prison without parole for a minimum 25 years for the three murders.

In July, 2013, Michael Roberto was given the equivalent of a 16-year term after pleading guilty to reduced charges for his involvement in the Bolsa massacre when he turned on his fellow gang members and agreed to give evidence against others, including Honorio and Zuccherato.

Roberto, Zuccherato and Honorio were all earlier convicted of the triple slayings, but because of problems with the Crown’s star witness’ evidence, new trials were ordered.

Defence counsel Tonii Roulston said the guilty plea to the reduced charge was a favourable outcome for her client.

“He is relived to finally move on,” Roulston said outside court.

She noted it’s been almost seven years since the Bolsa massacre.

“He just wants to move on with his life and actually have a life,” Roulston said.

“It’s a very favourable outcome for our client, it’s something we’ve been working on for months,” she said.

Roulston said once Honorio is handed an automatic life sentence and his parole eligibility is set, the Crown will withdraw the other two charges.

Sentencing submissions on Honorio’s parole eligibility will be held in the new year.

Dustin Darby and Nick Chan are still scheduled to stand trial in January for their involvement in the gang warfare.

Justice William Tilleman ordered the agreed statement of facts sealed but could make it public later this week.

Honorio remains behind bars pending that hearing.

kevin.martin@sunmedia.ca

On Twitter: @SUNKevinMartin