‘There’ll never be any forgiveness’: Jordyn Reimer’s family speaks out following second day of sentencing hearing

More than a hundred people showed their support for the loved ones of Jordyn Reimer by submitting victim impact statements. (CTV News Winnipeg)

Friends and family members of a 24-year-old woman killed in an impaired driving collision spoke outside the Manitoba Law Courts Friday following the second day of a sentencing hearing for a man and his mother involved in the fatal incident.

“It’s frustrating, it’s unjust. The whole process has been difficult,” said Karen Reimer, the victim’s mother.

“This was the most painful, excruciating experience of our lives to lose Jordyn and then have to relive and hear all of those facts again in court,” the victim’s eldest sister, Alex Reimer said.

Jordyn Reimer, a student at Edmonton's MacEwan University, was a designated driver for a group of friends the night she was struck and killed by Tyler Goodman in Transcona on May 1, 2022. At the time, Goodman was just days away from his 29th birthday.

Following the incident, Goodman called his mother Laurie Goodman to pick him up from a nearby parking lot. Later that day, the pair spoke to police.

In May 2023, Tyler and Laurie Goodman pleaded guilty to charges related to this case. Tyler Goodman pleaded guilty to impaired driving causing death and failing to remain at the scene of an accident. Laurie Goodman pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

“I just want to say how difficult it is to hear [Tyler Goodman’s] defence be that his remorse comes from entering a guilty plea,” said Nicole Reimer, Jordyn’s older sister, outside court Friday.

The defence put forward its recommendations for sentencing, which include a four-and-a-half-year sentence for the impaired driving charge and one consecutive year for failing to remain at the scene. In Laurie Goodman’s case, both the Crown and the defence submitted a joint recommendation for a six-month conditional sentence. However, defence lawyer Matt Raffey requested fewer restrictions to allow Laurie to care for her elderly parents and minor child.

On Tuesday, the Crown told the court it sought a six-year sentence for impaired driving causing death plus the one additional year for Tyler Goodman.

“I think we’re just a little bit in disbelief and shock that sentencing is supposed to be commensurate with a crime and this the best that they can come up with. And that’s what they’re telling us our daughter’s life is,” Karen Reimer told reporters.

Provincial court Judge Kael McKenzie heard from both Goodmans Friday -- the pair apologizing to the Reimer family.

Tyler told the court: “Thoughts of that night are with me every waking hour,” and “There is no excuse for what I did and I take full responsibility for my actions.”

When speaking about her actions, Laurie Goodman said, “In that moment I made a very bad choice.” She added: “I am prepared to accept whatever the court deems is reasonable and just in this case.”

“Those are hollow words, they mean nothing to me,” Jordyn’s father, Doug Reimer told reporters outside the Manitoba Law Courts following the hearing. “There’ll never be any forgiveness.”

“We have not seen any remorse from either of the defendants,” Alex Reimer, Jordyn’s eldest sister added.

‘It means so much to all of us’: 40 victim impact statements read aloud in court

Between Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning, around 40 victim impact statements were read aloud in court by Jordyn Reimer’s friends and family members.

One hundred and twenty-two testimonies were submitted, with more than 70 individuals requesting to read their statements in court.

“Some of the people’s victim impact statements from the community’s been terribly touching,” Doug Reimer said. “It means so much to all of us.”

However, the family said they were upset Judge McKenzie cut the testimonies short due to time constraints on Friday afternoon.

“There’s a lot of other victims -- friends of Jordyn’s, family of Jordyn’s that didn’t get up there to read their statements and to me that’s not fair,” Karen Reimer said.

Court has been adjourned until Nov. 22, 2023, when Judge McKenzie is expected to make his decision in the sentencing of Tyler and Laurie Goodman.

“One of our biggest fears was that this was going to drag past Christmas and he would get another Christmas. And that would’ve been devastating,” Doug Reimer said.