EDMONTON, Alberta – A man who fatally stabbed a woman in the Edmonton City Centre parkade in 2020 has been sentenced to seven years for manslaughter.
Elliot Tyler McLeod, who was initially charged with second-degree murder in the death of Sherry Lynn Gauthier, 33, pleaded guilty to manslaughter last April. According to the agreed statement of facts, McLeod had been on a methamphetamine binge for four days leading up to Gauthier’s death and has very little memory of the events.
The tragic incident occurred when McLeod struck up a conversation with Gauthier at 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2020, in Churchill Square, leading the pair to walk to the parkade together. At 11:38 p.m., McLeod took a knife out of his pocket and stabbed Gauthier in the back, the agreed statement of facts said. He then proceeded to stab her in the breast and thigh.
Following the horrific attack, the mother of five was able to walk back into the mall to ask for help. Despite being taken to the hospital, she passed away less than an hour later. McLeod was arrested several hours later while trying to break into MacEwan University.
With credit for time served, McLeod will serve about another year and a half in jail. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.