Convicted murderer William Sandeson will not be eligible for parole until at least 2030, a Nova Scotia judge decided Thursday.
In February, Sandeson, a former medical student, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the August 2015 killing of Taylor Samson, a 22-year-old physics student at Dalhousie University.
Thursday and Friday were set aside for Sandeson’s sentencing hearing, but Justice James Chipman reached his decision on Sandeson’s parole eligibility Thursday afternoon.
“When (Sandeson) shot Taylor Samson dead, he made a reprehensible and incomprehensible choice,” Chipman said. “Instead of entering medical school, Mr. Sandeson entered jail in the summer of 2015, and he has remained there ever since.”
While second-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence, the parole ineligibility range is a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of 25 years.
The Crown had recommended 22 years, saying that Samson’s murder was pre-meditated. Crown prosecutor Carla Ball also argued the disposal of Samson’s body — which Sandeson claimed he dumped into a tidal river feeding into the Bay of Fundy near Truro, N.S. — was an aggravating factor.
Defence lawyer Alison Craig, however, pushed for a shorter parole ineligibility period of 10 to 12 years, arguing that the murder was “out of character” for Sandeson, now 31, who had no criminal record and a history of volunteer work.
The jury was also allowed to make recommendations, and nine of them recommended the full 25 years. Two recommended 22 years, and one recommended 10 years.
In his decision, Chipman said the defence’s recommendation “falls below what is warranted” for the crime, though the 22-year period recommended by the Crown also falls outside the proper range.
Thus, he decided on 15 years — though Sandeson has already been in custody for seven years and eight months, so he will be eligible for parole in seven years and four months.
“This crime shook our community and the reverberations continue to be felt,” Chipman said.
“With the continued passage of time, the court can only hope that William Sandeson will someday become a productive community member again, and that Taylor Samson’s memory will serve to inspire the lives of those whom he touched and continues to touch through his time on earth.”
Chipman noted that the parole eligibility date does not determine Sandeson’s release date, but rather the first day he is eligible to be considered for parole.
After the decision, Craig, Sandeson’s lawyer, said he will “likely” appeal.
‘I just want the pain to go away’
A number of Samson’s family and friends read victim impact statements in court ahead of Sandeson’s sentencing.
Samson’s brother, Connor, lamented that he never got to say goodbye. He said his brother’s murder robbed him and his loved ones of birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, and other “precious memories” that were ahead in the young man’s life.
“I am never going to be an uncle. I am never going to see my brother get married and have a family of his own. I am never going to see him cross the stage to get his degree,” said Connor Samson, his voice shaking.
“I am never going to get that bear hug that he always gives, or hear him laugh so hard that our sides are going to hurt. I am never going to have a drink with him. But mainly, I’m never going to see him again with my own two eyes.”
Connor said, “There are so many victims in this murder.”
“I haven’t been the same person since. This has taken a huge toll on my life, and it will for the rest of my life,” he said. “I just want the pain to go away, but it will never go away.”
Linda Boutilier, Samson’s mother, did not read her victim impact statement aloud in court, but according to a written copy, she said she has to come to terms that “I am never going to see my son again.”
She said she was donating four totes of her son’s belongings “that I have been holding on to because I was afraid if I let go I was letting go of the hopes of Taylor returning.
“The pain today is unbearable. Today as I packed Taylor’s belongings is the first day of my grieving process. Today I accept the fact that my son has been taken from me,” she said.
“Today I hate the world with all of this evil and cruelty in it.”
Boutilier said when she learned of Samson’s disappearance, she searched for him from “dawn to sunset” along the highway from Halifax to Truro. She said she ended up leaving her job to continue searching for her son, suffering financially as a result.
“I was only given 22 years to be his mom. Taylor was a fun, loving and so caring person who had a great future ahead of him,” she said.
“I will never be myself again and a big part of me died with Taylor. Taylor is the last thought on my mind when I go to sleep and always when I open my eyes in the morning.
“My focus on my last years of life is to be the best mom to Connor and to carry on for Taylor and make him proud by living and (fulfilling) some of his dreams.”
Loved ones ‘robbed’ of closure
Mackenzie Ruthven, Samson’s girlfriend, described him as a “truly unique individual with a bright future who was taken from the world without accomplishing his dreams.”
She said Samson wanted to make the world a better place, and cared about people “wholeheartedly and unconditionally.”
“He was inspirational, brilliant, and irreplaceable,” she said through tears.
Ruthven said Samson’s murder affected her ability to participate in society, saying she became “the girl whose boyfriend was murdered.”
She said it decreased her confidence, motivation and ambition, and she became distant from previously close relationships.
She said that not knowing what became of Samson’s body — which was never recovered — meant his loved ones couldn’t say goodbye or visit his final resting place.
“Whatever was done to Taylor’s body has left many questions and robbed his loved ones of closure,” she said.
“We don’t get to laugh, or cry, bring him flowers, or process trauma in his presence. These opportunities were taken from us by the offender’s actions.”
‘Special place in hell’
Sandeson has already been in jail for more than seven-and-a-half years, which will reduce the length of time he has to serve before parole eligibility.
During the trial in the winter, Sandeson had claimed he killed Samson in self-defence during a cannabis deal on the evening of Aug. 15, 2015.
The Crown had argued that Sandeson, who was 23 at the time and about to begin studying medicine at Dalhousie University, was buried in debt and planned to kill Samson that night to steal the 20 pounds of cannabis he had previously arranged to buy for $40,000.
In the end, the 12 jurors found Sandeson guilty of second-degree murder.
It was Sandeson’s second trial. He was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2017, but the conviction was overturned in June 2020 after the Court of Appeal found that a mistrial should have been granted.
Following the verdict in February, Boutilier, Samson’s mother, told reporters the family was hoping for a first-degree murder conviction, but “we’re going to take what we can get.”
“He (Sandeson) is evil,” she said. “There’s a special place in hell for him.”