'Just horrible': Manitoba man sentenced to life in prison for murdering partner, children

Trevis McLeod (pictured) was charged in April 2022 with three counts of second-degree murder and one count of arson. (Source: Manitoba RCMP)

WINNIPEG -

The Manitoba man who brutally murdered his partner and two young children stood in court, voice wavering, and apologized for his actions that ended the lives of three people he said he loved very much.

Trevis McLeod, 52, was sentenced Thursday in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench to life in prison with no chance of parole for 16 years. He previously pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder in the killings.

“In the end, all I’m left with is to say—it’s horrible, just horrible,” said Justice Chris Martin, saying this is one of the worst cases he’s dealt with in his career.

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Court heard in the early hours of April 10, 2022, McLeod viciously bludgeoned his two children—six-year-old Isabella and three-year-old Mason—as they slept in their beds.

He then turned on his common-law partner—32-year-old Shantelle Murphy—before setting their Portage la Prairie house on fire.

Police arrested McLeod hours later, finding him holding a knife, covered in his family’s blood along with his own.

He was suffering from injuries and a stab wound, which the defence told the court had been self-inflicted as McLeod believed he could not feel pain. While alcohol was in his system, court was told there were no traces of meth or other drugs.

The bodies of his family were found by firefighters in their home—the cause of death due to smoke inhalation from the fire.

Defence said McLeod was experiencing delusions the night of the murders

Court heard a forensic psychiatrist found despite bizarre and perplexing behavior, McLeod was not suffering from a mental disorder.

Lisa LaBossiere, McLeod’s defence lawyer, told the court he had been experiencing delusions the night of the murder.

“To be very explicit, these delusions were that Shantelle and others were involved in the sexual trafficking of his children,” LaBossiere said, adding McLeod now acknowledges these were delusions.

“He thought their death needed to occur to stop their pain.”

Crown prosecutors told the court McLeod had a history of alcohol and drug abuse—particularly with meth and cocaine—which left him with hallucinations, delusions, and paranoid episodes.

These addictions contributed to a lengthy criminal record, including four convictions of intimate partner violence dating back to 1999, along with four convictions for impaired driving and 15 breaches of court orders.

“Mr. McLeod struggles with substance use. When he uses substances, he has repeatedly become violent. When Mr. McLeod violently offends, people are hurt—and in this case, three people were murdered,” Crown prosecutor Dayna Queau-Guzzi said.

“Simply put, Mr. McLeod presents a demonstrated danger to the public.”

Plea bargain led to joint recommendation

A conviction of second-degree murder carries with it an automatic life sentence.

The only matter being determined in McLeod’s sentencing was how long he would spend behind bars before he could apply for parole, which can be anywhere from 10 to 25 years.

As a result of a plea bargain, the Crown and Defense made a joint recommendation for 16 years.

The Crown said this plea deal spared the witnesses and family of having to relive the horrors of these murders during a lengthy trial.

Family heartbroken by actions of a 'monster'

Queau-Guzzi said the murders have left a gaping hole in the lives of the victim’s loved ones.

Shantelle’s mother told the court in a written impact statement read aloud by the Crown, the murders have left her with a deep sorrow she will carry for the rest of her life.

“I will never get the opportunity to hug and hold my daughter or grandchildren—hear their laughter, see them smile, or get the opportunity to celebrate all of life’s milestones with them,” she said.

“As a mother and grandmother, there will never be enough years that could be given to this monster that will ever make up for all he has taken.”

Shantelle’s father said the murder of his daughter and grandchildren has torn all future joy from his life.

“I will never understand how you, Trevis, went from being the father that should have protected his family to being the monstrous thing that they needed protection from,” he said in a statement read by the Crown.

Convicted murderer apologizes

McLeod, who was led into the room with his hands and feet shackled, never made eye contact with the family who stared at him from the gallery.

In a prepared statement, the convicted murderer stood up and apologized.

“I want to apologize for my actions that ended the lives of three people I loved very much,” he said. “There isn’t a day that I don’t think of them. I wish I could go back and have gotten help.”

Justice Martin ultimately endorsed the joint recommendation from the Crown and Defence, sentencing him to life in prison with no chance of parole for 16 years.

Along with this, he ordered a lifetime firearm and weapons prohibition.