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Lethbridge man receives eight-year prison sentence for death of spouse

Apr 10, 2018 | 4:00 PM

LETHBRIDGE – A 53-year-old Lethbridge man has been handed an eight-year prison sentence, after admitting to a charge of manslaughter Tuesday, April 10, for the 2017 death of Francis Corrine (aka Trixie) Chief Moon.

As a result of the guilty plea from Rodney Yellow Old Woman, the Crown prosecutor then withdrew the original charge of second-degree murder. They also noted that with credit for time spent in pre-trial custody, Yellow Old Woman has just over seven years left on his sentence.

Through an agreed statement of facts that was presented to the court by the Crown and defence, it was stated that the offender and Chief Moon had been in a relationship for about two months, and that they had listed each other as spouses. They were also living at the Lethbridge shelter and utilized services at Streets Alive almost every day in August and September of 2017.

Prosecutor Lisa Weich told the court that staff at Streets Alive had noticed bruises on Chief Moon’s arms and face, and when they asked her about the injuries, “Trixie said that she was used to it.”

On Sept. 16, 2017, Weich said the couple consumed two bottles of vodka with friends while walking around downtown, and that they had been arguing about money. Later in the afternoon, they consumed a third bottle of vodka together, with both becoming more and more intoxicated as the day went on.

It was noted that Chief Moon fell asleep or passed out several times during the day, and that Yellow Old Woman attempted to wake her up by pushing, hitting, and kicking her.

Around 3:30 p.m., a Lethbridge Police Service officer on patrol saw them in the parking lot of the Multicultural Centre along the 400 block of 6 Avenue South. Weich explained that Chief Moon was lying on the ground unconscious, stating, “The accused stomped on the side of her head twice before the officer could stop him.”

Yellow Old Woman was highly intoxicated and told police that Chief Moon was his wife and that he was trying to wake her up.

An autopsy later determined that Chief Moon died as a result of a collection of blood in her abdominal cavity, caused by damage to the organs in her chest and abdomen. Among the list of internal injuries – which included bruises over her entire body – tears were noted to her spleen and colon.

When given a chance to address the court, Yellow Old Woman said, “I don’t remember what happened.”

Defence lawyer, Claudia Connolly, stated that her client has been drinking since the age of 17, and grew up in a home with a father who was an alcoholic and abusive. She added that Yellow Old Woman attended a residential school as a child but said a Gladue report examining his Aboriginal heritage was not necessary.

In a victim impact statement from Chief Moon’s sister, Marlene Chief Moon, she said, “Grieving has taken over my whole being… I want justice for my sister. There was no need for this senseless action.”