The jury of 12 individuals in Roderick Sutherland’s trial is currently in the process of deliberating their decision. Sutherland is the final defendant among nine individuals accused in relation to the murder of Megan Gallagher on September 20, 2020. While not facing a murder charge, Sutherland is on trial for manslaughter, unlawful confinement, and disrespecting human remains, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Gallagher was tragically murdered after being confined and assaulted in a Saskatoon garage. Her remains were discovered on the bank of South Saskatchewan River, approximately 105 kilometers northeast of Saskatoon near St. Louis village on September 29, 2022.
With the jury now sequestered, publication bans linked to evidence, agreed facts, and victim impact statements from previous trials are no longer in effect. This includes information about other co-accused individuals and their legal outcomes that the current jurors were unaware of.
Robert (Bobby) Thomas was the initial person charged with murder in the case, subsequently pleading guilty to second-degree murder in October 2024 and receiving a life sentence with 18 years before parole eligibility. Cheyann Peeteetuce and Summer-Sky Henry, initially facing first-degree murder charges, later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in January 2025 and each received seven-year sentences.
Ernest Vernon Whitehead, Jessica Badger (Sutherland), and John Wayne Sanderson admitted to disrespecting human remains. Charges against Robin John (unlawful confinement and aggravated assault) and Thomas Sutherland (manslaughter) were dropped.
Although Roderick Sutherland was initially accused of first-degree murder, the charge was reduced to manslaughter in August 2025. However, the jurors were instructed to refrain from conducting independent online searches for such information.
During the trial, undisclosed information and facts emerged while the jury was absent, only becoming reportable after the conclusion of the prosecution and defense presentations, along with the judge’s instructions to the jury.
Judge Morrall spent considerable time reviewing trial evidence and explaining the legal aspects concerning the charges to the jurors before they commenced their deliberations. The following are key points that were not presented to the jury during the trial.
### Megan Gallagher’s Hoodies
During the trial, there was a request to restrict Gallagher’s friends and family from wearing black hoodies bearing Megan’s image and the text “murdered but not forgotten,” fearing it could influence the jurors during a manslaughter trial. The judge ruled that such clothing should not be worn in court, leading to the substitution with red shirts as a symbol of remembrance.
### Criminal Records
Cheyann Peeteetuce, who had a significant criminal record including a past conviction for dangerous driving causing death, testified during the trial but refrained from disclosing details about her criminal history, which the jurors were unaware of.
### The ‘Vetrovec Warning’
There were discussions between the prosecution and defense regarding the potential issuance of a “Vetrovec warning” to the jurors regarding the credibility of certain witnesses. Ultimately, the judge advised caution in evaluating the testimony of certain witnesses, emphasizing the need for corroborating evidence.
### The ‘Abandonment’ Defense
A defense argument was made regarding Sutherland’s alleged attempt to distance himself from the situation involving Gallagher’s confinement. The judge permitted the presentation of the “abandonment” defense to the jury for consideration.
These additional aspects were not presented to the jury during the trial proceedings.