It’s not what Marie Moldovan was hoping for when Robert Arams was sentenced to six years in prison for killing her husband Claude Landry in Moose Jaw court on Wednesday.
“I was disappointed, but I had some preparation of what was going to happen,” Moldovan said.
Robert Arams, 76, was accused of killing Claude Landry, 48, in the summer of 2018.
He was originally charged with first-degree murder before agreeing to a reduced charge in August.
Arams pleaded to manslaughter on Wednesday.
“I do believe he should have been charged with first-degree murder, but I do live in the real world and unfortunately a lot of people fall victim and the perpetrator isn’t given the proper sentence,” Moldovan said.
Moldovan said she doesn’t blame the criminal court system or police for what she describes as “injustice” but instead, the circumstance of the matter.
“They have to work very hard to put together a case. With Claude, he is the victim and the victim is deceased,” Moldovan said.
“He has no ability to speak on his behalf. So, all you have is a scenario put together by the perpetrator.”
Moldovan said Arams was well known for being a drug dealer.
It’s reported Landry and Arams were involved in a drug deal when Arams shot Landry, causing his death.
“He tried to portray himself as a hero. He was profiting off of people’s pain.”
In 2017, RCMP charged Arams after being caught with 33.8 grams of cocaine and 23 guns.
Moldovan said Landry’s life wasn’t perfect but said he didn’t deserve this fate.
“When I met him, he was struggling in life. He was also a veteran and suffered from PTSD,” Moldovan said.
“He did have difficulties like most people do, but he worked very hard to improve himself.”
Arams also pleaded guilty on his offering an indignity to human remains charge. The Crown is asking for Arams to spend an additional year in jail.
A decision on whether or not to make the year sentence consecutive or concurrent is expected to be made during his next court date on Dec.13.
David Prentice and Shauna Prentice have also been charged in connection to Landry’s death.