EDITOR’S NOTE: The small print on this story are disturbing.
A decide in Peace River discovered northern Alberta man Jason Alec Tallcree responsible of first-degree homicide, sexual assault and tampering with a physique within the loss of life of a teenage woman.
Roderica Ribbonleg was final seen on July 5, 2020 close to John D’Or Prairie – a distant First Nations settlement about 700 kilometers virtually due north of Edmonton that’s a part of the Little Purple River Cree Nation.
The court docket heard the 15-year-old stopped answering her cellphone and didn’t come residence after she mentioned she was going to fulfill some mates.
Ribbonleg has been described as outgoing and inventive. She had goals of going to varsity or college when she graduated — however that future was stripped from her.
Learn extra:
‘A toddler of coronary heart’: Neef says her future was stolen from 15-year-old homicide sufferer Roderica Ribbonleg
Ribbonleg was final seen alive on July 5, sleeping in a dilapidated cabin on the First Nation with no web or cellphone service.
In the course of the trial, a lot of individuals testified they noticed Ribbonleg on the outbuilding, with one particular person texting her after she left: “Did you make it residence?”
{The teenager} didn’t. She disappeared and was reported lacking a number of days later and all cell exercise ceased.
An undated picture of Roderica Ribbonleg.
Courtesy Tracey D’or
Per week after she was final seen alive, an organized search social gathering discovered her mobile phone not too removed from the cabin.
The court docket heard searchers noticed crows circling, and adopted them onto a four-wheel drive a number of kilometers away.
That is when members of the search social gathering discovered Ribbonleg’s physique in a shallow grave in a beaver den and known as the RCMP to safe the scene.
Birds pecked on the teenager’s badly overwhelmed physique. The court docket heard her garments have been askew.
An post-mortem discovered she had been strangled – presumably together with her personal bra strap – and had suffered blunt drive trauma to her head.
There was proof to recommend sexual assault.
A person’s DNA was discovered within the younger woman’s vagina and anus. Investigators finally linked that DNA pattern to Jason Alec Tallcree, who was 35 on the time and is now 37.
Learn extra:
Man charged with 1st diploma homicide after 15-year-old killed in northern Alberta
It wasn’t the primary time the Alberta man was accused of killing and dumping the physique of a lady within the woods.
Tallcree was charged in 2014 with second-degree homicide and tampering with a physique within the loss of life of his common-law spouse, a mom of three named Malena Loonskin.
However one yr later, these prices have been dropped.
A spokesperson for Alberta Justice mentioned on the time that the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service had decided there was now not an affordable probability of conviction within the Loonskin case.
Malena Loonskin, 26, was discovered useless close to her residence in John D’Or Prairie, AB.
Offered by: RCMP
In Ribbonleg’s case, there was no proverbial smoking gun.
As a substitute, it was circumstantial proof when taken collectively, King’s Bench Justice Wayne Renke led to his convictions in a Peace River courtroom two and a half years later.
The court docket heard that when RCMP requested Tallcree about Ribbonleg, he mentioned he had not heard of her – one thing the decide decided was a lie.
Tallcree was on the property the place the teenage woman was final seen sleeping.
The decide dominated that Jason Alec Tallcree sexually interfered with Ribbonleg throughout her homicide, after which interfered together with her physique by burying it.
Learn extra:
Hold the house fires burning: a 127 km stroll for justice for Roderica Ribbonleg in John D’Or Prairie
It was standing room solely as dozens of Ribbonleg and Loonskin supporters, many wearing purple, packed the small courtroom on Tuesday.
Collectively, three months after Ribbonleg’s loss of life, they walked 127 kilometers from John D’Or Prairie to Excessive Degree so Tallcree would see their faces at a earlier court docket look.
![Click to play video: '127-kilometre justice march for murder victim Roderica Ribbon in northern Alberta'](https://i1.wp.com/media.globalnews.ca/videostatic/news/6n9y3bx0tb-j3bbvig2vj/RIBBONLEG_FOLO_FOR_WEB.jpg?w=1040&quality=70&strip=all)
On Tuesday, they cried collectively when the decision was learn.
“A whole lot of feelings,” explains Ribbonleg’s cousin, Tracey D’Or. “Principally pleasure, pleasure that we lastly acquired the conviction we have been hoping for.”
“Totally determined whether or not justice has been performed. We have now been ready a very long time.”
D’Or mentioned the households supported one another all through the court docket course of.
“A whole lot of weight has been lifted for each households. They have been with us all through… Additionally they acquired their joyous second.”
She mentioned it was very tough to learn how her younger cousin died.
“I truly did not need to know the main points of how she went. However at the moment in court docket I heard about it – it was tragic.”
First-degree homicide comes with an automated life sentence, with no probability of parole for 25 years. By then, Tallcree might be in his sixties.
![An undated photo of John D'Or Prairie resident Jason Alec Tallcree.](https://globalnews.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/tallcree.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&w=428)
An undated picture of John D’Or Prairie resident Jason Alec Tallcree.
Offered to World Information
“After doing this for nearly 20 years now and being concerned in additional than 45 murders, that is the primary time I’ve been concerned in a case the place there’s a first diploma homicide conviction,” explains his lawyer, Ajay Juneja.
“That is certainly probably the most critical cost within the prison code of Canada.”
Juneja mentioned he was stunned by the decide’s determination.
“Primarily based on the proof, I used to be fairly assured that the accused can be discovered not responsible… the case was utterly circumstantial.”
Whereas Juneja had not had a chance to talk together with his consumer earlier than being interviewed by World Information, he mentioned the chance is that this case will come again earlier than the courts.
“I’d count on that, given the seriousness of the cost, that he would most certainly search to attraction it.”
The Ribbonleg household, World Information and Postmedia (The Edmonton Journal) challenged a publication ban requested by Crown prosecutor James Sawa that prevented Ribbonleg from being recognized as a sexual assault sufferer and since she was a minor.
Ribbonleg’s mom instructed the court docket she didn’t help the publication ban and it was subsequently lifted. The remainder of the household supported her.
“I would like individuals to find out about her and what she endured,” D’Or defined.
No date has been set for a sentencing listening to — which might be set for April 24 — however sufferer impression statements might be provided at the moment.
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