The trial was held at the Don Ross Centre. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Jury gives verdict

Ivor Wapass found guilty of murder in Thunderchild First Nation case

Feb 12, 2022 | 5:42 PM

The jury in the trial for the Thunderchild First Nation homicide returned with their verdict Saturday and found the accused guilty as charged.

Ivor Antoine Wapass, 47, was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Roger Standingwater, 57, on Sept. 15, 2018. Wapass was arrested Nov. 1, 2019.

Justice A.R. Rothery pronounced a sentence of life in prison for the offender. The judge will next determine the length of time, from 10 to 25 years, before Wapass would be eligible for parole, during sentencing at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Battleford on March 2 at 10 a.m.

Victim impact statements will also be presented at that time.

The trial was held at the off-site location at the Don Ross Centre in North Battleford for the duration to accommodate social distancing for the jury members as a COVID-19 precaution.

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Turtleford RCMP responded after receiving a report of an unresponsive male at a home on the Thunderchild First Nation on Sept. 15, 2018. When police arrived at the location, the victim Roger Standingwater, was found in medical distress. EMS personnel arrived shortly afterwards and pronounced Standingwater deceased.

The Crown argued during the trial that wrapped up Feb. 10 that Standingwater died from his injuries after having his face stomped on during an assault at the time of the incident.

Following court, Crown Prosecutor Suzanne Reid indicated it was a complicated case.

“Essentially the case of the Crown was circumstantial evidence,” she said. “Nobody saw what happened to Roger Standingwater on the night that he died. The jury listened attentively to all of the evidence and deliberated for quite a considerable amount of time, and came to a just verdict.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow