A Calgary man convicted of manslaughter in the stabbing death of his girlfriend three years ago has been sentenced to eight years in jail.
Scott Ferguson was originally on trial for second-degree murder, but a jury instead found him guilty of manslaughter in March.
Susan Elko was found stabbed to death in the couple’s Mission condo on Sept. 14, 2014. Throughout the trial, the couple’s relationship was described as tumultuous, saying the couple argued often and broke up multiple times.
With credit for time served, he will spend only four years behind bars.
Elko’s family was not in court for the sentencing, but in victim impact statements Elko’s mother said she was “devastated,” and that her father said his “heart was broken.”
In sentencing arguments, one of Ferguson’s lawyers, Eleanor Funk, said her client had wanted to avoid a trial by pleading guilty to manslaughter.
“He didn’t want the Elko family to go through a trial,” Funk said. “To the extent closure is somehow possible in these cases, he wanted closure for the Elko family.”
Justice Glen Poelman agreed a trial was unnecessary, given Ferguson had wanted to enter a plea and said he had taken steps to “turn his life around.”
Poelman said the crown was unable to prove Ferguson was guilty of second-degree murder beyond a reasonable doubt.
The crown had asked for a 15-year sentence.