A Saskatoon jury has found Roderick Sutherland guilty of manslaughter, unlawful confinement, and offering an indignity to human remains in connection with the 2020 death of Megan Gallagher, bringing a major chapter in the years-long case to a close.
The verdict was delivered Friday afternoon at the Court of King’s Bench after two days of jury deliberations. As the words “guilty” were read aloud, sobs filled the courtroom. Family and friends of Gallagher embraced, many overcome with emotion after five years of relentless pursuit for justice.
Emotional reaction in court
Gallagher’s father, Brian Gallagher, said the verdict brought a mix of relief and grief. “When the jury started to say ‘guilty, guilty, guilty,’ it felt like something was released from my chest,” he told reporters. “The grandparents have heard us, the Creator has heard us. They are happy and smiling and, at least, at ease.”
But he added that no court outcome could ever bring true closure. “The only closure we could ever get is if Megan could walk through that door and give us a hug. That’s never going to happen. That’s been taken from us.”
Brian described Megan as a generous, humorous, and deeply compassionate person. “She would give up anything to help someone else,” he said.
A five-year journey for justice
Megan Gallagher, then 30 years old, vanished under suspicious circumstances in September 2020. Within months, investigators believed she had been killed. It wasn’t until two years later that her remains were discovered on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River, near the village of St. Louis, roughly 105 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.
The discovery marked a crucial moment in an extensive and emotionally charged investigation that ultimately implicated nine people.
A web of charges and guilty pleas
Roderick Sutherland’s case was the final one to go to trial. The proceedings began on October 6, and throughout the hearings the jury heard graphic testimony about how Gallagher was tied to a chair, assaulted, and killed inside a Saskatoon garage.
Several others have already been sentenced in the case:
Robert (Bobby) Thomas pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in October 2024 and received life in prison with no parole for 18 years.
Cheyann Peeteetuce and Summer-Sky Henry, initially charged with first-degree murder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in January 2025 and received seven-year sentences.
Ernest Vernon Whitehead, Jessica Badger (Sutherland), and John Wayne Sanderson pleaded guilty to offering indignity to human remains.
Charges against Robin John (unlawful confinement and aggravated assault) and Thomas Sutherland (manslaughter) were stayed before trial.
The defence and the Crown’s arguments
During closing arguments, Sutherland’s defence lawyer, Blaine Beaven, said his client found himself in a volatile situation that escalated beyond his control. Beaven argued that Sutherland tried to stop others once he realized what was happening.
The Crown, however, maintained that even if Sutherland didn’t personally kill Gallagher, it was his garage where she was confined and ultimately killed. Prosecutor Jennifer Schmidt said he was “involved from start to finish” and played an active role throughout the events.
Outside court, Beaven expressed disappointment with the outcome but acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment for both sides. “This is obviously a very difficult day for our client, but we appreciate it’s also a very difficult day for Megan Gallagher’s family,” he said. “It’s another step on their path to healing.”
Sutherland taken into custody
Following the verdict, the Crown asked the court to revoke Sutherland’s bail, calling the offence “one that has shocked the community at the highest level.”
“He was involved in the confinement of a young Indigenous woman who was tortured and suffocated to death,” Schmidt told the court.
The defence argued that Sutherland had complied with all bail conditions over the past two years and was not a flight risk. However, Justice John Morrall ordered Sutherland to be taken into custody immediately.
Sentencing set for December 19
Sentencing is scheduled for December 19. The defence is expected to seek a provincial jail sentence—with a maximum of two years less a day—while the Crown is preparing to seek a double-digit prison term, reflecting the gravity of the offences.
Family’s ongoing grief
For the Gallagher family, the verdict represents progress, but not peace. Megan’s father called it “one step in a long, painful journey.”
“Five years and 27 days since she went missing,” he said quietly outside the courthouse. “It’s been a journey I don’t know how to describe.”
