Man sentenced to 7 years for fatal stabbing of woman at Edmonton City Centre mall

A man who stabbed and killed a woman at the Edmonton City Centre shopping mall nearly four years ago has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

Wednesday’s sentencing happened after Elliot McLeod previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Feb. 12, 2020, death of 33-year-old Sheri Lynn Gauthier. He had originally been charged with second-degree murder.

McLeod has already spent 1,350 days in custody. With credit for time already served, he has less than two years left to serve.

When he read out his sentence, Justice Larry Ackerl noted McLeod’s attack was unprovoked and that Gauthier was stabbed three times in a span of just 25 seconds.

“The level of violence employed in these stabbings was pronounced,” he said.

At a sentencing hearing last month, the Crown had asked for a 10-year prison sentence. The defence had asked for five-and-a-half years.

According to an agreed statement of facts, McLeod and Gauthier did not know each other. On the day Gauthier was killed, CCTV cameras captured images of the two walking together at the downtown shopping mall and entering the parkade. They began walking together after having a conversation at Sir Winston Churchill Square.

At one point, Gauthier had her back to McLeod and he stabbed her. He turned around to leave but then came back and stabbed Gauthier two more times.

The agreed statement of facts indicated Gauthier tried to defend herself. She sustained a stab wound to her back, breast and thigh.

McLeod left and could be seen on CCTV camera footage removing his outer layer of clothing and hiding the knife in the discarded clothes.

Gauthier was able to get up and walk to the basement of the mall and seek help; however, she later died in hospital from blood loss.

The defence said McLeod had been using meth for four consecutive days prior to the killing.

At a sentencing hearing last month, a judge heard that Gauthier was a mother of four and that she had lived a difficult life. She struggled with addictions and lived on the streets.

Victim impact statements submitted to the court conveyed how kind and loving Gauthier was.

Gauthier’s friend said in her victim impact statement that “(she) was selfless and wouldn’t hurt a fly. … She was loving and caring to everyone around her.”

“Sheri’s life was taken so short in such a heinous, heartless way. … She had a rough life and then she had her life robbed from her.”

One of Gauthier’s children also submitted a statement at that hearing.

“I can’t believe you could take such a beautiful soul from me. … She was so amazing, so beautiful. She loved so hard,” the statement said.

“As much as I would like to say … I can’t forgive you for what you’ve done, I forgive you and I hope you can turn your life around and be better for others. I hope you can love like my mom loved.”

At last month’s hearing, the judge said the court would be considering a Gladue report in McLeod’s sentencing to take into account his Indigenous background, intergenerational trauma and the physical and sexual abuse he faced when he was a child.

On Wednesday, Ackerl highlighted Gladue factors considered in sentencing and noted McLeod’s parents and grandfather went to residential schools and that he has experienced sexual, verbal and emotional abuse in his life. He said McLeod’s mother was addicted to drugs and that he spent time at 20 different foster homes when he was younger.

McLeod, now 38, started drinking at 10, doing cocaine at 18 and then began doing meth at 29.

McLeod’s lawyer spoke to reporters after the sentencing, which he said saw the judge employ “a very balanced consideration of the factors.”

“The case itself really was a tragic circumstance,” Andrew Phypers said. “At the sentencing submissions, I was a bit emotional, and that’s because in these types of cases with Indigenous offenders, it’s a tragic circumstance that they’re actually — in the first place — wandering around downtown Edmonton — very, very tough backgrounds for both the victim and the accused — and sort of coming together in a very tragic outcome.

“It was a chance meeting … (but) there’s a lot of common factors in their backgrounds.”

Phypers said his client is “incredibly remorseful,” and that the Gladue report offered the judge “a window into looking at this person.”

“In the Gladue report, the thing that really stood out to me is that he actually can remember one happy childhood memory he had — one. And it was something very simple. It was his mom bringing him to the park. That was the one happy moment among so many moments of abuse and neglect and trying to survive his childhood,” the lawyer said.

“A life like that is bound to end in a poor circumstance.”

Ackerl noted Gauthier’s circumstances also had to be considered. He noted that Gauthier’s sister has left Edmonton since the killing because of fear and trauma she has experienced since the stabbing.

“The victim impact statements simply and eloquently describe the devastating and continuing cost exacted upon the family and friends of Ms. Gauthier,” Ackerl said.

“(This is a) direct and tragic reminder to our community of the disproportionate violence experienced by Aboriginal women.”

Ackerl noted that McLeod had 17 criminal convictions prior to the 2020 killing.

He said aggravating factors when considering a sentence were that the killing was violent and unprovoked, McLeod left without providing medical aid, the fact he discarded some clothers and his knife to avoid arrest and that Gauthier was unarmed and defenceless.

Mitigating factors that were considered were that McLeod entered a guilty plea and demonstrated what the judge considered to be genuine remorse, that he has been sober for three years now and that he appears to be a promising candidate for rehabilitation.

“Thank you your honour,” McLeod said to Ackerl after the sentence was handed down.

At last month’s hearing, McLeod addressed the court and — with tears in his eyes — said he was sorry.

“Believe me when I say, I wish I could take back what happened,” he said at the time.

“I was high on drugs … and I didn’t know what I was doing, and there is nothing I can do to change that.

“I accept my punishment.”

At the time, McLeod said that he is a calm man when he’s sober, and that he plans to stay sober once he is released from prison.

–with files from Global News’ Sarah Ryan and Sarah Komadina

1:52 Sentencing hearing held for man who killed woman at Edmonton City Centre mall