(File Photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

RCMP investigation

Youth in Gatzke murder sentenced to 9.5 years in custody

May 10, 2024 | 1:35 PM

One of the accused in the Ryan Gatzke homicide has learned his fate.

A young man who was a youth at the time of his crime was sentenced to 9.5 years in custody at the Court of King’s Bench in Battleford Friday for his role in Gatzke’s death.

Following a trial in April 2023, the youth, who can’t be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was found guilty last May of manslaughter, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, and possessing a firearm contrary to an order.

Prosecutors Jennifer Schmidt representing the Crown recommended a 10-year sentence, while Defence Attorney Katherine Pocha believed eight years was appropriate.

Justice Heather MacMillan-Brown noted the youth is being sentenced as an adult.

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He was just shy of turning 18 when he committed the offence.

MacMillan-Brown said substance abuse was a factor for the youth.

On the aggravating side, she found the youth’s “culpability is high.”

The youth was a member of a local street gang, and is a high risk of reoffending, the judge said.

At the time of the offence, the youth entered Gatzke’s home with two other people with weapons. The youth was carrying a loaded sawed-off shotgun.

“A home invasion is an aggravating factor, and break and enter, and using a firearm were also aggravating issues,” the judge said.

The judge noted that the youth, along with Jacob Joseph Ballantyne and Isaac Melko forcibly broke into the house at the time of the incident.

She said Isaac Melko fired one shot and the youth fired another.

“One of their shots struck and killed Ryan [Gatzke],” she said. “Ryan is not the only victim”.

The judge said there is a huge void in Gatzke’s mother’s life and his whole family’s existence since he died, according to his mother’s victim impact statement.

The judge told the family she hoped this final sentence would bring them closure.

In the end, Justice MacMillan-Brown sentenced the youth to 9.5 years for manslaughter, six years concurrent for break and enter, and one year concurrent for breaching a firearms prohibition. In total, he was sentenced to 9.5 years in custody. Less time served in remand, he has 3.5 years left to serve.

The youth must also submit a DNA sample and was given a lifetime firearms prohibition.

The three other offenders in the case were previously sentenced.

Jacob Joseph Ballantyne received eight years in prison in June 2023 after previously pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Isaac Melko was sentenced to 12 years in jail in February 2023 after previously pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Charles Michael Lewis McLean received four years in custody in February 2022 after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Gatzke, 27, was found with serious injuries in a Battleford home on Oct. 18, 2019, and later declared deceased after being taken to hospital.

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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsNOW