Alberta trucker who killed woman, hid body for years claims he acted in self-defence

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A retired trucker accused of murdering an Indigenous woman and hiding her physique two provinces away took the stand final week in his personal defence, claiming he killed Gloria Gladue after she got here at him with a knife.

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Grant Arthur Sneesby is charged with second-degree homicide for killing Gladue, 44, in his Wabasca-Desmarais dwelling on Oct. 10, 2015. Her physique went undiscovered till Sneesby revealed its location to undercover RCMP officers throughout an elaborate, eight-month investigation that spanned Western Canada.

The mom of seven’s stays had been discovered wrapped in plastic in a ditch in Woodside, Man., on June 17, 2018.

Sneesby took the stand Thursday in a Peace River courtroom, the place a jury will start deliberating his destiny after the Crown and defence meet Monday to debate Justice Paul Belzil’s jury cost.

The 72-year-old has already pleaded responsible to inflicting indignity to Gladue’s stays, however maintains he killed her in self-defence.

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Defence lawyer Steve Smith requested the jury to acquit, whereas acknowledging Sneesby’s actions had been “contemptible, cowardly and merciless” towards Gladue and her household.

Nonetheless, Sneesby’s resolution to cover the physique “shouldn’t taint (the jury’s) judgment on the circumstances of the killing itself,” he argued.  

Earlier in Sneesby’s trial, jurors heard Gladue, a member of Large Stone Cree Nation, had travelled to Wabasca-Desmarais for a marriage the day of her demise.

Sooner or later, she visited Sneesby, who was an acquaintance of her cousin’s. Sneesby was largely unemployed on the time following a DUI, and was ingesting closely. He advised courtroom he and Gladue had some drinks and cigarettes in his storage. Gladue then began to smoke one thing out of a small pipe.

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Sneesby claimed in some unspecified time in the future, Gladue requested him for cash and he declined. As he went to warmth up the range to make dinner, he observed a steak knife in her hand.

“She took a swing with the knife,” Sneesby advised courtroom. A battle ensued, and finally the knife “made contact” along with her torso as the 2 wrestled on the ground, Sneesby claimed.

After forcing the knife into her physique a number of occasions, “she gave a protracted final breath.”

“I don’t know how one can describe it — the air went out of her. I’ve been a hunter by my life. I’ve watched deer die, I’ve watched coyotes die,” he stated, including “I don’t wish to examine an individual to an animal.”

Sneesby advised undercover Mounties he stabbed Gladue round a dozen occasions. He advised completely different tales to the undercover officers and the courtroom, variously saying he didn’t know why the argument began, and that it had one thing to do with some collectible cash Gladue allegedly pocketed.

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He in the end wrapped the physique in heavy building plastic and hid it in a trailer for the winter, earlier than shifting the trailer to Athabasca and, finally, his nephew’s property in Manitoba.

After that, he deposited the physique alongside a street allowance.

He destroyed Gladue’s cellphone and purse, however turned over a few of her clothes throughout an preliminary interview with RCMP.

When Smith requested why Sneesby didn’t admit to police what occurred, he stated “I’m sorry, I don’t have a solution for you.”

“Possibly I’m being egocentric on my half, simply wanting it to go away … a person in opposition to a girl, it’s going to be my fault. And to some extent it was my fault.”

Sneesby denied that he hatched any type of plan to cover Gladue’s physique, and that if he did, “it will be a silly one anyway.”

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He finally led undercover RCMP to the stays, after an investigation through which Mounties befriended Sneesby by a fictitious trucking firm with alleged ties to highly effective individuals who may make the crime go away.

Throughout cross-examination, prosecutor Andre Arseneau famous Sneesby advised a number of conflicting tales about how he killed Gladue, the supply of their disagreement, and why he hid her physique.

Sneesby admitted the story had modified however attributed the brand new model to 4 years of sobriety.

Sneesby concluded his testimony Friday. The Crown and defence will meet Monday to debate the jury cost, adopted by closing addresses Tuesday.

jwakefield@postmedia.com

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