BATTLEFORD – A sentencing hearing for a man who was a young offender when he was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 27-year-old Ryan Gatzke didn’t proceed Tuesday. The hearing has been postponed until January 2024 in Battleford Court of King’s Bench.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Jennifer Schmidt will argue before the court to have the youth sentenced as an adult. He was 17 at the time of the murder and can’t be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
There is a ban on publication of the evidence until all four people charged in Gatzke’s death have been sentenced.
In June, Jacob Ballantyne was sentenced to eight years after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was originally charged with second-degree murder.
In February, Isaac Melko was sentenced to 12 years. He was charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.
In March 2022, Charles McLean pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to four years in prison.
RCMP found Gatzke in his home in the 100 block of 26 Street West in Battleford on Oct. 18, 2019. He was badly injured and taken to the North Battleford hospital by EMS where he was later declared deceased.
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