Edmonton first-degree murder trial ends with two guilty pleas to lesser charges

Madeline Smith · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 01, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

A execution proceedings for 2 radical accused successful the decease of an Edmonton elder ended aboriginal past period with blameworthy pleas to lesser charges.

Donn Gauthier, 46, and Melissa Norris, 38, were acceptable to spell to proceedings unneurotic for first-degree murder, arson and indignity to a body. 

Both were accused successful the sidesplitting of Ronald Bell, who was recovered dormant successful his Central McDougall basement suite on New Year's Day of 2023.

Bell — who has been antecedently described successful tribunal arsenic 70 years aged erstwhile helium died, but was really 72, according to the Crown — was severely injured, and determination was grounds of an effort to commencement a occurrence wrong the home.

Norris entered a plea to the indignity complaint connected the archetypal time of the proceedings connected March 17, leaving Gauthier on his ain successful beforehand of a jury. But astatine the extremity of the archetypal week of witnesses, aft grounds from a aesculapian examiner raised questions astir Bell's fatal injuries, the Crown and defence negotiated an agreement.

As different week of grounds was expected to begin, the assemblage was abruptly discharged, and Gauthier pleaded blameworthy to manslaughter.

All other charges the brace faced were withdrawn. Both were sentenced successful abstracted associated submissions from the Crown and defence.

On March 25, Court of King's Bench Justice Bob Aloneissi sentenced Gauthier to 17 years successful prison, which comes to somewhat much than 14 years after enhanced recognition for clip Gauthier has already spent successful custody.

On Monday, Norris was sentenced by a antithetic justice to 12 months successful jail, which is covered by the clip she's already served, positive an 18-month play of probation.

Assault came aft argument

Gauthier admitted helium actively participated successful a convulsive battle connected Bell wherever a "sharp weapon" was used.

Prosecutor Keith Nicholls told the tribunal during sentencing that determination were risks for some sides, but, "The Crown was astir apt not going to beryllium its case. The grounds is what the grounds is."

The facts stay "egregious," helium said.

"There are virtually wounds to each information of Mr. Bell's body. ... It's a level of unit that is seldom seen, adjacent successful these courts wherever horrific things are routinely seen."

According to an agreed connection of facts read, Gauthier went to Bell's location connected Dec. 26, 2022, aft Norris invited him. Neither of them lived there, but Norris was visiting a antithetic antheral who rented a country connected the main floor.

After partying together, Gauthier awoke the adjacent greeting to the dependable of Norris and Bell arguing. Court heard that Bell, who lived successful the basement arsenic the superior tenant of the home, had fixed announcement to evict the antheral Norris was visiting "due to cause usage and inviting undesirable guests."

Gauthier ended up progressive successful the dispute, and Bell was fatally assaulted. His assemblage was past covered successful towels and blankets and lit connected fire, and the radical went to different adjacent location and burned their clothes in the backyard.

In the agreed facts work for Norris's blameworthy plea, she admitted that she retrieved a vessel of bleach, which the tribunal heard that Gauthier poured connected the assemblage and acceptable connected fire.

The occurrence caused immoderate harm to the location but yet extinguished itself. The Crown said it was an effort to pain the location down truthful determination wasn't immoderate grounds of the crime.

One of Bell's friends discovered his assemblage 5 days later, amid occurrence harm and a burst h2o tube leaking into the basement astir his body.

Edmonton constabulary subsequently appealed for assistance to find Bell's missing motortruck and accusation about possible suspects successful the case. Gauthier was arrested successful July 2023, and Norris was charged successful May 2024.

'I anticipation you tin interruption this cycle'

At Norris's sentencing hearing, defence lawyer Susan Morris said her lawsuit has been stateless oregon sofa surfing for overmuch of her big life.

Court of King's Bench Justice Kent Teskey noted that's portion of the "complicated" concern that led her into the tribunal system, ordering that she person help applying for lodging and different supports arsenic portion of her probation.

Gauthier's laywer Andrew Phypers told the tribunal that starring up to the fatal assault, Gauthier was "spiralling" successful a sustained cause binge.

"That led him into atrocious institution and the precise mediocre decisions that led him present today," helium said.

Aloneissi noted a "highly concerning" magnitude of unit successful Gauthier's record.

"This was a prolonged and savage onslaught ... against a susceptible idiosyncratic successful his ain home," he said.

But the justice besides noted the past of maltreatment and racism that Gauthier, who is Métis, reported to the court.

"I anticipation you tin interruption this rhythm of intergenerational trauma which you person intelligibly experienced," Aloneissi told him.

A first-degree execution condemnation would person meant an automatic beingness condemnation and a 25-year play of parole ineligibility.