Alberta Court Overturns Murder Conviction

0:00It's April 22nd. This is Calgary News Today, powered by AI. Alberta's top court just overturned a life sentence for Ryan Applegarth in the beating death of his 26-year-old common-law partner, Chantelle, firing Stoney. The appeal court judges ordered a new trial after his 2023 conviction for second-degree murder. They ruled the original trial judge never established that Applegarth intended to kill her, which is key for that charge. The nautopsies showed brutal, blunt force trauma to her head, face, neck, and torso, plus a dozen broken ribs and elacerated liver clear signs of a savage. Beating. The court said the crown didn't prove intent beyond out, and a jury could have gone with manslaughter instead. Even though prosecutors called their case overwhelming, the judges weren't buying it. This sets up a fresh shot at trial, shifting the focus from murder to what really fits the evidence.