Man Sentenced for 20-Year-Old Manslaughter

0:00A 44-year-old man from Vancouver has received a 12-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of a vulnerable 24-year-old matey, woman in Manitoba nearly two decades ago. Kevin Q pleaded guilty last week to the reduced charge after DNA evidence linked him to Crystal Saunders, whose body was discovered in April 2, 2007 near St. Embroise, northwest of Winnipeg. Advances in DNA technology finally cracked the cold case, matching samples from Saunders neck and fingernails to QL's profile in the national, data bank. That profile came from his 2015 convictions for sexual assault and aggravated assault in British Columbia. Earlier this year, he faced second-degree murder charges following the breakthrough. The victim's family has endured deep pain from the loss, with her mother describing Saunders as a beautiful young woman working to overcome addiction, struggles. Court of Kings Bench Justice Sadie Bonn emphasized that the manslaughter plea doesn't lessen the harm inflicted on them. Prosecutors accepted the plea to avoid trial-delay stemming from credibility issues with a key

1:04undercover officer in a lengthy sting operation. That operation involved 52 interactions where Keele confessed to killing a sex worker during a robbery attempt, then disposing of her body at a campground. As to persistent police work and modern forensics, this long overdue accountability brings some measure of closure to a grieving family. I'm Corey with The Story. That's your Canada News Today update, AI-powered, and always on.