2 women sentenced to 7 years for roles in Megan Gallagher slaying
Jeremy Warren | CBC News | Posted: February 7, 2025 12:47 AM | Last Updated: 5 hours ago
Victim's family questions sentence, publication ban on details of killing
Brian Gallagher knows more than he can say about his daughter's killers and what they did to her while she was confined in a garage.
On Thursday, Justice Mona Dovell sentenced Cheyann Peeteetuce, 31, and Summer Sky-Henry, 26, to seven years in prison for their roles in killing Megan Gallagher. Both were originally on trial for first-degree murder, but in January they entered surprise guilty pleas to manslaughter.
"This trial was supposed to be for first-degree murder and when hearing the things that we've heard, this is first-degree murder," Brian Gallagher told reporters after the sentencing hearing.
"We can't talk about [it] because of the publication bans. But in my opinion, this was first-degree murder."
CBC Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon StarPhoenix unsuccessfully challenged the court's publication ban on evidence and arguments heard during sentencing. On Monday, Dovell ruled that the ban is necessary to protect the fairness of upcoming jury trials for two men accused of killing Megan Gallagher.
Thomas Sutherland is charged with manslaughter and scheduled to stand trial in the spring. Roderick Sutherland is charged with first-degree murder and scheduled to stand trial in the fall.
After credit for time in custody, the sentences, which were jointly submitted by the Crown and defence, work out to about six years for Peeteetuce and five years and four months for Sky-Henry.
Megan Gallagher's stepmother Deb Gallagher told reporters she isn't sure the public is served by a publication ban.
"How's the community supposed to know whether this is a relevant sentence or not?" she said. "So again, the silence. How can anyone make an informed decision when so much detail is hidden from the public?"
A packed courtroom spent most of Thursday morning hearing Megan Gallagher's friends and family read victim impact statements in court. Brian Gallagher said the family has sat through more than 300 court proceedings for all the accused.
Megan Gallagher, 30, was last seen alive leaving her friend's house on Sept. 19, 2020. Two years later, her body was found in the South Saskatchewan River. Nine people were charged in connection to her death.
Robert Thomas was sentenced in December to life in prison with no chance of parole for 18 years after pleading guilty to second-degree murder.
In addition to Sky-Henry, Peeteetuce, Thomas and the two Sutherland men, four others were charged in connection with Gallagher's death:
- Ernest Vernon Whitehead, 41, was sentenced to 739 days in jail in May 2023 on a charge of indignity to human remains.
- Jessica Badger (Sutherland), 44, was given a conditional sentence order of two years less a day on the same charge, served in the community, followed by 18 months probation.
- John Wayne Sanderson pleaded guilty in 2023 to the same charge, and was sentenced to 1,096 days, minus 327 days for pre-sentence custody.
- Robin John was charged with unlawful confinement and aggravated assault, but the charge was stayed last fall.
WATCH | Megan Gallagher's family reacts to downgraded charges: