Shane Sutherland was convicted of second degree murder Thursday for the February 2021 murder of his girlfriend, Amanda Black, after pleading guilty to the crime earlier this week.
“His crime was horrifically brutal, tragic, and senseless,” said Justice Lisa Warren in her decision in Fort St. John Supreme Court.
“The extreme family violence left the young child of Ms. Black and Mr. Sutherland without their mother and essentially without their father as well,” explained Warren. “It caused, and continues to cause profound pain for Ms.Black’s family and friends.”
Sutherland was arrested Feb. 8, 2021, after RCMP were called to a home in the Village St. John townhouse complex where Amanda Black, 22, was found dead. He has been held in custody ever since.
Sutherland used an axe and a knife to chop and stab Black multiple times, leaving the axe head in her skull and covered with a plastic bag, the court heard. Their child was in a crib inside another bedroom at the residence during the murder.
A friend of Black was waiting for her outside just before the killing happened, as they had plans to hang out. Black never left, as Sutherland murdered her shortly after she got off the phone with her friend.
After killing his spouse, Sutherland called his mother and father, telling them what he had done. Sutherland’s mother then called 911, leading to his arrest.
It’s alleged that Black may have been unfaithful to Sutherland, which contributed to the attack, as Sutherland disclosed the alleged infidelity to a court ordered forensic psychiatrist.
“The nature of the injuries indicate that Mr. Sutherland killed Ms. Black in a state of extreme anger,” said Warren.
Had the trial continued without a guilty plea, it’s possible that a provocation defense could have been used as a mitigating factor, explained Warren, reducing the charge to manslaughter.
Warren further noted that Black bears no blame for the attack, and that no findings can be made whether Sutherland was telling the truth to the psychiatrist about his spouse’s alleged infidelity.
A conviction for second degree murder carries a mandatory life sentence in Canada. Sutherland must serve a mandatory 10 years of incarceration before parole eligibility, which can only be granted at the discretion of the Parole Board of Canada.
