Guilty plea in murder case; man admits to vicious assault on wife
By admin on March 18, 2022.
Police units remained outside an apartment building on Third Street SE, near downtown in Medicine Hat, on Oct. 26, 2021 after a body was discovered by police. --News File Photo COLLIN GALLANT
Twitter: CollinGallant
A Medicine Hat man has pleaded guilty to murdering his common-law wife in a vicious attack with a box-cutter last October.
Timothy Faulkner, 56, had attempted to plead guilty at his first court appearance shortly after the body of Corrine Schneider was discovered by Medicine Hat police in the couple’s apartment on Third Street.
However, such a plea could not technically be made until he was arraigned in Court of Queen’s bench, which occurred Friday morning, at which point Faulkner argued he wished to proceed directly to sentencing.
“We can deal with that today,” Faulkner told Justice Charlene Anderson as she discussed dates and the prosecution’s request for a pre-sentencing report.
Eventually she decided to agree the reports should be ordered, noting he can can take part or not, and the matter would come back to court on April 8.
“It’s an extremely serious charge,” she told him. “It’s not my intention to delay the matter but this is moving very fast.”
“I can assure you that we’ll deal with sentencing as soon as possible.”
Second-degree murder carries with it an automatic life sentence, with a minimum of 10 years before the person can apply for parole.
Prosecutor Ryan Anstey told the court that without the benefit of a pre-sentence report, the Crown would seek a term of 12 to 14 years with out the possibility of parole.
A sentencing hearing would also include victim impact statements.
An agreed statement of facts signed by Faulkner this week describes a vicious attack in a blood-soaked bedroom. It states that Faulkner and Schneider had been in a common-law relationship for about three years, but were experiencing problems and considering separating last fall.
No description of specific motivation or events leading up to the Oct. 25 attack was provided.
An autopsy concluded the cause of death was severe blood loss caused by “multiple deep cuts to the face and neck” and then further violence to legs and body. The blade of the razor knife broke several times during the attack.
Afterwards, Faulkner cleaned himself in the kitchen and bathroom sinks and bathtub, changed his clothes, placed a pillow and sheet over Schneider’s body, then called police.
Read Saturday’s Medicine Hat news for an updated version of this story.
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