Manitoba court quashes murder convictions for Métis man who spent decades in prison

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 02, 2025 8:09 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 3

A Métis antheral who spent much than 2 decades successful situation had his execution convictions quashed by the Manitoba Court of Appeal past week. 

In 1997, Robert Sanderson was recovered blameworthy of 3 counts of first-degree execution successful transportation with the August 1996 killings of Jason Gross, Russel Krowetz and Stefan Zurstag astatine a location successful West Kildonan. 

Sanderson was sentenced to beingness successful situation with nary eligibility for parole for 25 years. 

He has ever maintained his innocence. 

He appealed his convictions successful 1999, but the entreaty was dismissed by the Manitoba Court of Appeal. Later that year, Sanderson was denied permission to entreaty to the Supreme Court of Canada. 

In 2017, 20 years aft helium was convicted, Innocence Canada applied for a ministerial reappraisal of Sanderson's case, the enactment said successful a Monday quality release.  

Flawed DNA investigating conducted connected a hairsbreadth recovered astatine the country had connected Sanderson to the transgression astatine the clip of his conviction. More precocious tests done successful the mid-2000s showed that the hairsbreadth samples didn't lucifer Sanderson oregon the 2 different men who were charged successful the case.  

Other caller grounds considered by the entreaty tribunal was that an eyewitness was fixed "substantial sums of wealth by the authorities pursuant to an statement aft helium testified astatine the trial," Innocence Canada said.

Sanderson was denied bail successful 2018, but was released connected afloat parole a abbreviated clip later. 

After his release, Sanderson told CBC News successful 2023 that helium had found healing done embracing his civilization and creating creation inspired by his Métis and Ojibway heritage. He moved to Victoria, B.C.

In 2023, then-federal justness curate David Lametti recovered determination was apt a miscarriage of justness successful Sanderson's case. Lametti referred the lawsuit to the Manitoba Court of Appeal for a caller hearing.

Last week, the tribunal quashed the convictions and ordered a caller trial. Innocence Canada said successful its quality merchandise that the Crown has advised the tribunal "it volition workout its discretion and participate a enactment of proceedings connected nationalist involvement grounds."

CBC News has reached retired to the Crown and Innocence Canada for further comment.