WARNING: This story contains graphic and disturbing content.
Four-and-a-half years after a woman was found dead in a west Edmonton storage shed, a 35-year-old man has plead guilty to manslaughter in connection with her death.
Jesse Martin had originally been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Freda Goodrunning, who was from the Sunchild First Nation. He pleaded guilty to the less charge on Friday.
Goodrunning’s body was found by police in a storage shed on June 4, 2014.
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According to an agreed statement of facts, Martin and Goodrunning were in a “domestic relationship.”
Shortly before Goodrunning’s death, she and Martin were drinking behind a grocery store in west Edmonton with several other people. At one point, the group went to a shed by Stony Plain Road and 174 Street. The structure was once was used by a local restaurant before it closed but had on occasion been used for shelter by people in the group.
According to the agreed statement of facts, once they were in the shed — intoxicated — Martin and another member of the group who was previously in a relationship with Goodrunning, got in an argument about her that escalated to physical violence. The rest of the group left and one of the people saw Martin hit Goodrunning.
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When returning to the shed later, the same witness saw Martin hitting Goodrunning in the head and body with a golf club.
According to the agreed statement of facts, Goodrunning was then dragged to the front of the shed and covered with a sleeping bag and left alone. Martin did not seek help for Goodrunning at any point.
An autopsy later showed Goodrunning suffered extensive injuries to “every part of the head,” including 11 “penetrating injuries to the face.” She also suffered serious injuries to other parts of her body. The autopsy concluded she died of multiple blunt and penetrating injuries.
A pre-sentence report and a Gladue report have been ordered and a sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 26.
Manslaughter sentences can vary from probation to life in prison.
Goodrunning was the mother of five children.