Spruce Grove man who beat woman to death sentenced to life in prison

Blake Jolicoeur, who was found guilty of fatally beating Saladina Vivancos and leaving her body on a rural road near Spruce Grove, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison with no chance of parole for 12 years.

Jolicoeur was convicted of second-degree murder on May 24.

Vivancos died Nov. 16, 2019. Her body was found bloodied in the back seat of a car north of Spruce Grove. The car was on a frozen pond near Township Road 532A and Range Road 274. An autopsy found Vivancos sustained 56 blunt force injuries, including 18 external blunt force injuries to her head.

She was 33 years old and had just moved to Edmonton from Kelowna.

The judge told Jolicoeur his decision shows restraint and provides the 39-year-old man hope — something the man didn’t do for the victim. The judge said Jolicoeur did the worst thing he could do to another human being.

“You took the life of a beautiful soul,” the judge told Jolicoeur.

1:37 Murder trial begins for man charged in death of Edmonton woman in Parkland County

In his sentence, the judge said he considered Jolicoeur’s admissions and steps he’s made to rehabilitate himself.

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Defense lawyer Amy Lind said Jolicoeur has enrolled in the remand centre’s boot camp program, which is quite intensive and provides mental health resources as well as educational and reintegration supports.

She was not surprised by the judge’s decision.

“It was very deliberate and intentional and very fair,” Lind said Thursday. “We know that it’s a sentence of life imprisonment and this just determines when Mr. Jolicoeur can apply for parole. It doesn’t mean he will… but I think it gives him a chance of rehabilitation.”

During the sentencing hearing, the Crown asked that the parole ineligibility period be 14 years; the Defense requested closer to 12 years. The minimum for a second-degree murder conviction is 10.

In a statement to Global News, Saladina’s sister Tierna Vivancos said the family is upset Jolicoeur will be eligible for parole after 12 years.

“What does ‘life in prison’ even mean in Canada? Why do they even do that if the suspects can apply to get out sooner? It does not make sense.

“People who take someone else’s life should spend their life in prison. That’s what he should have gotten, not a possibility of parole at all,” she said.

“Life in prison with a chance of applying for parole at 12 years is just insane. The Canadian justice system is complete nonsense. It protects criminals more than the friends and families of the victims,” Tierna wrote.

“No amount of time will ever be enough for what he took from us.”

2:06 Family of Parkland County murder victim shares inconsolable grief

Family and friends described Vivancos as caring, confident, genuine and beautiful. They said she was an incredible aunt and couldn’t wait to be a mother herself.

“Her loss impacted our whole family and friends in so many ways,” said Andrea Labour, Vivancos’ sister, during the sentencing hearing in December 2022. “I’m afraid I will never recover from this loss.

“She had an enormous extended family who loved her. She would have had her entire life ahead of her.”