Marissa Shephard has pled guilty to manslaughter and arson in the 2015 death of 18-year-old Baylee Wylie.
Baylee Wylie’s body was discovered in a New Brunswick housing unit on Sumac Street in Moncton on Dec. 17, 2015. He had been stabbed multiple times before being covered by a mattress, which was then set on fire.
Shephard was charged and previously convicted of first-degree murder and arson with a disregard for human life, but her conviction was overturned following a successful appeal.
The New Brunswick Court of Appeal decision stated that the trial judge, Justice Zoël Dionne, “committed various errors of law by allowing the jury to hear and consider inadmissible and highly prejudicial evidence.”
A new trial was ordered and was set to begin on Aug. 3. 2021.
However, her defence lawyer Gilles Lemieux said in an email to Global News on Tuesday that Shephard had made a plea to a lesser charge of manslaughter and arson and would be back in court for sentencing on Aug. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Lemieux declined to comment further in the email saying he’d have more to offer after sentencing.
In a statement to Global News, Wylie’s mother said it is with “a sad heart that today Marissa Shephard pled guilty to arson and manslaughter.”
“Justice has not been served but we accept the decision,” wrote Amanda Wylie.
She went on to thank the RCMP and the Crown for their work over the past five years.
“Thank you to all those who played a role in trying to gain us closure. It’s been a long five years and the journey is not completely over for us.” she wote.
“Every day we still face the loss of our greatest joy.”
Two other people — Devin Morningstar and Tyler Noel — are already serving prison time on murder charges for their role in Wylie’s death.
Morningstar was convicted of first-degree murder. Noel pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
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