Michael Joel-Hansen, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Summer Sky Jodylynn Henry, 26, and Cheyenne Chrystal Peeteetuce, 31, were sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the death of Megan Michelle Gallagher in 2020.
Both were originally charged with first-degree murder but pleaded out to the lesser charge last month just before their joint trial was set to begin.
With credit for time on remand, Peeteetuce has just under six years in custody left to serve; Henry has just over five years left. Both women were also given lifetime weapons prohibitions.
Before Justice Mona Dovell handed down the sentence — part of a joint submission made by the Crown and defence — court heard victim impact statements from Gallagher’s family and other loved ones.
Dovell commented that the statements were powerful.
In her 28 years on the bench, “Never have (these statements) reached the impact that I heard this morning,” she said.
A sweeping ban prohibits publication of the details discussed at the hearing, including the facts of the case, sentencing arguments and victim impact statements.
The ban, which was upheld after a legal challenge by the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, was put in place to ensure trial fairness for Roderick William Sutherland, who is charged with first-degree murder in Gallagher’s death and has opted to be tried by jury.
Speaking to media outside court, Megan’s father Brian Gallagher was visibly upset. He said he does not believe justice has been served.
“We’re not OK. this is not OK,” he said.
Gallagher expressed frustration that the two women made a plea bargain for much less severe charges. It was also frustrating that Dovell did not choose to lengthen the sentence proposed in the joint submission, he said.
“Hearing the things that we’ve heard, this is first-degree murder.”
Both women, who have been held at Pine Grove Correction Centre in Prince Albert, showed little emotion during the hearing. Gallagher said he did not sense remorse from either of them.
“They didn’t care. I don’t think we touched them, they sat there emotionless,” he said.
When offered the chance to speak at the hearing, Peeteetuce apologized for her actions. Henry chose to say nothing.
Gallagher said he was still processing what Peeteetuce said, adding that time will tell whether she was serious.
The court-ordered publication ban limits much of what he can say, Gallagher added, noting the full details of the case will be unpleasant for many people when they do become public.
“I think the community will be very upset.”
Megan Gallagher was last seen leaving a friend’s house on Sept. 19, 2020. Her remains were found two years later near St. Louis.
