DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – Candace Dawn Shearer has been charged with the manslaughter of her Mother-In-Law, Anna Sheppard.
The verdict was released on Monday, January 3rd, 2020, regarding the event that took place on November 12th, 2016. This comes following a seven-day trial conducted in December 2019.
Shearer was living with her common-law partner Berry Sheppard and his at the time 66-year-old mother Anna Sheppard in Sheppard’s home when she beat and stabbed Sheppard to death. In the ruling Justice James Williams said Shearer and Anna Sheppard had a difficult relationship.
The ruling outlines the situation in which the Sheppard’s lived and the relationship they had with one another which is documented as there were disagreements; there were sometimes arguments and on occasion, there was physical violence between them which was seen in photographs submitted for evidence.
Justice James Williams would state, he has a real doubt that when Ms. Shearer inflicted the wounds upon Ms. Sheppard, she was mentally competent as the law requires to prove the necessary subjective foresight to establish the offence of murder.
Line 122 in the ruling, the act of killing must be proven to be the willful product of a conscious and operating mind, a mind that is functioning in a competent way. Line 22 says the consequence of my finding is that Ms. Shearer must be acquitted of the offence of second-degree murder.
Justice Williams concluded, he was satisfied that the offence of manslaughter had been proven. Continuing with Ms. Shearer caused the death of Anna Sheppard and did so by means of an unlawful act, assault causing bodily harm. Justice Williams is satisfied that general intent is made out on the evidence.
To view the entire Supreme Court of B.C. ruling; CLICK HERE
