WARNING: This story contains graphic content. Discretion is advised.
A man who admitted to killing Calgary mother Christa Cachene will wait until later this month to learn his prison sentence.
Cachene, 26, died following a fight at a house party she hosted on Oct. 10, 2015.
Her father, Leslie Whitehead, will never get to see justice for her death; court heard he passed away last Friday.
Whitehead is the one who found Cachene at her Ranchlands home Oct. 11, 2015. He was dropping off his two grandchildren, who he had spent the weekend babysitting.
Inside the home, he found a woman beaten beyond recognition at the bottom of the stairs. It was his daughter.
Isaiah Rider was originally charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.
The prosecution is asking for an 18-year sentence, which also includes time for a carjacking and robbery.
Defence lawyer Balfour Der submitted a 15-year sentence would be appropriate.
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According to an agreed statement of facts, there were several people drinking at the Ranchlands home on Oct. 10, 2015, and the party continued on into the night and the following day.
At one point, Cachene and Rider were heard arguing in the kitchen. One witness heard Cachene say “she wanted to die.”
Court heard Cachene had a small knife and stabbed Rider in his lower back and cut the back of his hand; that’s when they started throwing punches.
Cachene was thrown to the ground.
Rider admits he began to stomp on Cachene’s chest and head.
He dumped her body down the stairs into the basement, cleaned up the blood with bleach, then left her there.
An autopsy showed she suffered injuries to her entire body and died from multiple blunt-force injuries, along with restricted blood flow to her head.
Toxicology results showed Cachene had a high blood alcohol concentration.
The accused said he was also drinking heavily.
Rider admits to continuing on a crime spree following the party. He had left town and was in a vehicle with four other people that became inoperable.
Rider managed to flag down a vehicle passing by on Highway 2.
He attacked the Good Samaritan and the other people in the vehicle, all of whom suffered multiple injuries.
Rider admits he then went to a nearby home armed with a baton and robbed the owner. He took cash, car keys and a phone and stole a vehicle.
The hunt for Rider by police ended when a spike belt was deployed on Highway 2.
Cachene’s mother and sister left the courtroom when Rider himself addressed the court.
“I would like to express my heartfelt sorrow to Ms. Cachene’s family,” he said while standing in the prisoner’s box.
“There’s nothing I can say or do to take back what I have done, but I do apologize and I would like to say I’m very remorseful for what I have done.”
Rider told the judge he is ready to deal with the consequences of his actions.
Justice Suzanne Bensler will hand down her sentence on Oct. 25.
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