Alvin Thomas sentenced to six years in death of Marisha Hoksbergen in Cumberland House

He will also need to provide a DNA sample, will not be allowed to possess firearms or weapons for 10 years, and has to pay a $200 victim surcharge.

In his approximately 40-minute address to court, Justice Morral stated that Thomas had grown up in “appalling circumstances”, being raised by an abusive grandparent, and having a father that didn’t want anything to do with him. Subsequently, Thomas turned to a life of crime in his teens and began selling drugs to make a living.

Morral said Thomas then got married and went about 14 years without criminal activity. However, his marriage ended when he started using and selling drugs once again.

Thomas then started a relationship with Hoksbergen.

It was heard in court in September that Hoksbergen and Thomas were in a relationship and living together. Thomas left the home after the couple ended their relationship but he came back to collect some items. Court heard in September the two had been arguing for several days prior to the accidental shooting May 30, 2022.

Thomas had kept a sawed-off shotgun for self-defense as he was a top-selling drug dealer in the area. Justice Morral said in court Friday that Thomas was using crystal methamphetamine during that day, and the gun, which had gone off twice previously without prompting, accidentally discharged, killing Hoksbergen.

Morral said in his ruling that he took Thomas’ remorse and his effort to save Hoksbergen’s life into account, but he also had to factor in the fact that Thomas introduced the gun into Hoksbergen’s life.

“He decided on his own to become a high-level drug dealer” that felt he needed the protection of an illegally-altered weapon, said Morral. He added Thomas was making about $20,000 per month dealing drugs and that “greed is the motivating factor here.”

Morral said other factors he weighed in his sentence were the 57 youth and adult charges, the carelessness of having a loaded weapon that was known to unexpectedly discharge, and the “heart wrenching impact statements” heard at the September hearing. Morral was also not impressed that Thomas had been in trouble while in remand, fighting and admittedly still using meth while behind bars.

An individual, who declined to be interviewed, wore this hoodie in court. (Cam Lee/northeastNOW)

In his address, Morral said he knows that the sentence “will seem wholly inadequate to Marisha’s family”.

Thomas was silent at the sentencing hearing, but did apologize to the Hoksbergen and Sewap families in September.

Just prior to sentencing, Morral addressed Thomas directly in an effort to try to have some good come from such a tragedy.

“I hope the guilt leads you to change your life,” Morral told Thomas.

At the September hearing, the Crown had asked for a sentence closer to eight years in prison. Thomas’ lawyer recommended a sentence between four and five years.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @northeastNOW_SK

by Cam Lee

Alvin Thomas sentenced to six years in death of Marisha Hoksbergen in Cumberland House

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