(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Woman receives prison sentence for death of man near Big River First Nation

Dec 10, 2021 | 12:41 PM

A woman who drove a man with a fractured rib to an isolated location, where he later died from hypothermia, has received a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.

Karyle Morin, 21, entered a guilty plea to criminal negligence causing death. She was one of four people charged in the death of Richard Netmaker, whose frozen body was found almost four days after he was reported missing.

On Jan. 6, 2020, Big River RCMP responded to a complaint that Netmaker had been abducted from his residence on the Big River First Nation and assaulted. He was found deceased in a rural area near Pekakumew Lake.

According to the statement of facts read in court by Crown Prosecutor Gail Douglas, four people went to the house and assaulted Netmaker with bats and a machete. He was placed into a truck, with Morin behind the wheel, and driven approximately eight km.

“Richard is splitting blood all over the truck,” Douglas explained, adding he was crying when he got out of the truck.

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Morin was arrested the next day for possession of a stolen vehicle, and while in police cells was overheard yelling “I hope Richard is dead.”

Upon being further questioned it was Morin who showed police where Netmaker had been left. Through their investigation, police learned Netmaker walked two kilometer in freezing temperatures before succumbing to the elements. The nearest house was four kilometers away.

An autopsy report also showed Netmaker had a fractured rib and no defensive type wounds.

“If it hadn’t been for her submission [to police], we may still be looking for Mr. Netmaker,” Douglas said.

Richard Netmaker. (Submitted photo/Saskatchewan RCMP)

While the specific reason for the assault remains unclear there was a suggestion in court that Morin had at one time been sexually assaulted by Netmaker. One of the co-accused, and alleged attackers, Roderick Dreaver, had been Morin’s boyfriend at the time of the assault.

In May 2012, Saskatoon Police issued a special advisory concerning Netmaker’s decision to live in the city after being released from custody. He was described as a high-risk violent sex offender with a history of committing violent sexual offences against female acquaintances and with adults he came into contact with.

Morin has expressed remorse for her actions, saying she feels “horrible” for what happened, and claimed she did not know what would happen to Netmaker.

Judge J. Lubyk said the sentence, which was a joint submission from the Crown and defence, satisfied the need for deterrence, adding taking matters into your hands is wrong.

Despite receiving a prison sentence, Morin will serve her sentence at Pine Grove Correctional Centre as she was given credit for 204 days spent in remand, leaving 709 days left to serve. A weapons prohibition was also ordered for a period of 10 years.

The three co-accused: Stephanie Starblanket, Roderick Dreaver and Riley Ahenakew have pending court dates.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell