Crown drops manslaughter charge against 1 accused in Megan Gallagher homicide

Jeremy Warren · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 12:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

Brian Gallagher is disquieted the latest ineligible improvement successful 1 of the galore tribunal cases connected to his daughter's homicide sends the incorrect connection to criminals.

"It's heartbreaking," Gallagher said successful an interview. "All of this worldly is besides empowering to the radical that are doing this. They spell location and they person their small meetings successful their groups and they say, 'You privation to bushed the system? Here's however you bash it.'"

On Wednesday, the Crown filed a enactment of proceedings successful the proceedings of Thomas Sutherland. He was 1 of 9 radical charged successful transportation to the 2020 decease of Megan Gallagher and he had been scheduled to spell to proceedings successful April.

Sutherland was charged with manslaughter and unlawful confinement, but is present a escaped man. His lawyer Jessie Buydens confirmed Sutherland was released from custody connected Wednesday.

The nationalist prosecutions bureau said successful an email that it reviewed the lawsuit against Sutherland and determined the proceedings could not spell forward.

"To determination guardant with a prosecution, nationalist prosecutions indispensable beryllium satisfied that determination is simply a tenable likelihood of condemnation and that it is successful the nationalist involvement to proceed with a prosecution," the connection said.

"In this case, aft cautious consideration, it was determined the lawsuit nary longer met the prosecution standard."

Megan Gallagher, 30, was past seen live leaving her friend's location connected Sept. 19, 2020. Two years later, her assemblage was recovered successful the South Saskatchewan River.

Much of the grounds and details heard during the galore trials and sentencing hearings autumn nether work bans that were ordered to protect the fairness of the remaining tribunal cases.

Brian Gallagher isn't convinced the work bans serve the public. With each successive trial, the household grows a spot much weary.

"It's symptom and it's vexation and there's starting to beryllium a beardown disbelief successful the effectiveness of the justness system," Gallagher said.

"If radical were in the courtroom and heard the confirmed connection of facts they would cognize what happened and that justness isn't being served."

The past remaining proceedings is for Roderick Sutherland. He is charged with first-degree execution and his proceedings is scheduled for October.

Robert Thomas was sentenced successful December to beingness successful situation with nary accidental of parole for 18 years after pleading blameworthy to second-degree murder.

In summation to Thomas and the 2 Sutherland men, six others were charged successful transportation with Gallagher's death:

• Cheyann Peeteetuce, 31, and Summer Sky-Henry, 26, were tried unneurotic and were sentenced to 7 years successful prison. Both were primitively connected proceedings for first-degree murder, but successful January they entered blameworthy pleas to manslaughter.
• Ernest Vernon Whitehead, 41, was sentenced to 739 days successful jail in May 2023 connected a complaint of indignity to quality remains.
• Jessica Badger (Sutherland), 44, was fixed a conditional condemnation bid of 2 years little a time connected the aforesaid charge, served in the community, followed by 18 months probation.
• John Wayne Sanderson pleaded blameworthy successful 2023 to the aforesaid charge, and was sentenced to 1,096 days, minus 327 days for pre-sentence custody.
• Robin John was charged with unlawful confinement and aggravated assault, but the complaint was stayed past fall.