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Two women charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Megan Michelle Gallagher are scheduled for trial at Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench starting Monday.
The Crown filed notice on Friday that it will seek a discretionary publication ban on the trial of Summer-Sky Henry and Cheyann Crystal Peeteetuce — scheduled to last eight weeks — to protect the upcoming jury trials of two men who are also accused in Gallagher’s death.
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Crown prosecutor Tyla Olenchuk confirmed the proceedings will start with pretrial motions, and evidence is expected to be called on Jan. 27.
Henry and Peeteetuce were scheduled to be tried by a jury, but they re-elected a judge-alone trial. Henry is represented by defence lawyer Mike Buchinski, while Chris Murphy will represent Peeteetuce.
They are among nine people who were charged in connection with Gallagher’s death. She was last seen on Sept. 20, 2020. Her remains were found along the banks of the South Saskatchewan River near St. Louis two years later, on Sept. 29, 2022.
Thomas Richard Sutherland, 44, is charged with manslaughter and unlawful confinement. His jury trial is scheduled for April.
Roderick William Sutherland, 46, is charged with first-degree murder and offering an indignity to human remains. His jury trial is scheduled for October.
Three people were sentenced in 2023, and aggravated assault and unlawful confinement charges were stayed against another man.
Last month, Robert “Bobby” Thomas was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 18 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. The details heard at his sentencing hearing were banned from publication to protect the upcoming jury trials.
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Speaking outside court after the sentencing, Gallagher’s father Brian paused when asked if he thought justice was served.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to answer that,” he said. “Justice is just a part of a society that we live in. The young man is going to be incarcerated for a long time. There are no winners in this.
“There are so many tragedies. His family in there is just as deeply affected by this as we are. We’re all in a state of shock and deep suffering, and so are they. The whole community around us is paying the price for this.”
Limited facts were presented during the other sentencing hearings, which heard that Jessica Faye Badger and John Wayne Sanderson knew Gallagher was dead when they helped move her body.
Court heard Sanderson and Ernest Vernon Whitehead threw Gallagher’s body over the St. Louis Bridge. Her remains were later discovered based on information they gave to police.
The agreed statement of facts presented at their sentencing hearings didn’t include details of Gallagher’s killing in order to preserve trial fairness for the remaining co-accused.
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