Today was the sentencing hearing for the last two people involved in the death of a La Ronge woman.
Sheena Billette was a 28-year-old teacher and a mother of four young children. Her body was found on the side of a northern road on December 23, 2019, and from that day on, Christmas has never been the same for the Billette family.
Deborah McKenzie and Sharise Sutherland-Kayseas appeared in person at the Court of Kings Bench in Prince Albert. They sat together in the box while the hearing was in session.
McKenzie and Sutherland-Kayseas both were charged with the kidnapping and manslaughter of Billette and pleaded guilty to those charges.
They each received sentences of 1462 days, equaling four years, for the kidnapping of Billette.
McKenzie was handed 3653 days, equaling 10 years, for the charge of manslaughter with time served credit for the 2056 days served in remand. She will be serving concurrent sentences. McKenzie will have to serve just over four years in a federal correctional centre.
Sutherland-Kayseas was handed a sentence of 4384 days, equaling 12 years, for the charge of manslaughter with time served credit for her 680 days served in remand. She will be serving consecutive sentences. Sutherland-Kayseas will have nine years going forward from today to serve in a federal correctional centre for these charges.
The presiding judge, Mdme. Zerr, started the hearing by asking if there was anything that the Crown or Defence needed to be reviewed, from which the Crown had some items to bring forward for consideration.
It was stated in court that Mdme. Zerr considered Billette to be ‘vulnerable’ because she was female and an aboriginal, advising the sentence will reflect that. She also considered the Gladue factors for McKenzie and Sutherland-Kayseas when deciding the sentences.
One moment stood out when Mdme. Zerr addressed the courtroom, reviewing the victim impact statements and presenting her thoughts about Willie Billette’s victim impact statement, Billette’s father, which brought some emotion from her as she spoke and her voice quivered while reading.
“It was quite emotional this morning, and I know that I can tell that Judge Zerr was also emotional at one time, and I could see and hear her voice that she was getting emotional when she recounted my victim impact statement, where I said that December 23rd started like any other day, and we bought presents for everybody, including Sheena, the kids, and our family, but I didn’t know that we, instead of opening presents on Christmas Day, celebrating, we had to arrange a funeral for my daughter,” said Willie Billette.
It is almost five years to the day that Billette was found. Willie ensured he attended all court hearings and Mdme. Zerr recognized that and the pain the family has had to live with and continues to live with going forward.
“Today, hopefully, is the last court date so that we can move on with our lives, but they have 30 days to appeal, and after 30 days, if there’s an appeal, then this case continues. So hopefully, we’ll see what happens in 30 days,” explained Willie Billette.
This could be the end of the court hearing for the two women charged, but the sentence on the family is a life sentence. A life of learning to survive without their beloved daughter, Sheena.
MBC asked Willie how he would like to have his daughter remembered.
“Sheena was vibrant. She was a good athlete as well. She wanted to go to school and do something for her kids,” said Willie. “She was very protective about her kids. She was a good mother, and she always wanted the best for her kids.”