Tears flow at James Smith Cree Nation inquest as spouses give evidence

Tears flowed freely on the auditorium stage on Thursday at the inquest into the killings on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon.

Both Myles and Damien Sanderson’s spouses gave evidence at the inquest.

First was Myles’ common-law spouse Vanessa Burns. She spoke about meeting Myles and starting to date him when he was in his late teens and she was in her early twenties.

Vanessa also talked about the physical and emotional abuse and manipulation that took root early on in their relationship. She also described how he would manipulate and guilt her into sticking around.

Vanessa supported his bid for parole in his most recent release, telling the board that she needed him help with their five kids and that they had plans to continue with sobriety and get back to their culture.

Starting in on Day four of the James Smith Cree Nation inquest pic.twitter.com/V6pcNboswy

— Lisa Schick (@LMSchickler) January 18, 2024

She and Myles had been on the James Smith Cree Nation leading up to the mass killing, selling cocaine. Vanessa told the inquest that she did it to keep Myles happy but wanted to stop.

The inquest had heard previously about Myles attacking her as they were driving on the first nation and Myles’ mother Bev and his brother Damien having to intervene and save her. On Thursday, Vanessa added new grim detail to the event, describing Myles attacking her as she drove, beating her with his drug scale and pulling her jacket up over her head so she had to peer out through the zipper to navigate the road.

Vanessa got away thanks to Bev and Damien and went back to where the couple had been living in Saskatoon, but she described being terrified in the coming days as details came to her about what Myles had done – she said she thought he was going to come after her.

Myles killed her father and put her mother in the hospital.

Members of the community have been able to ask questions of the witnesses in the inquest, and some came up to question Vanessa, but several made comments of support first.

“I lost a sister that night, I lost a friend, your father, I lost a lot of family members,” said Darryl Burns, tearfully.

“I want you do know I have no ill will towards you. I love you, and I love your family”

After Vanessa, Skye Sanderson took the witness stand. She spoke about the early days of her and Damien’s relationship, and explained with a few laughs how he turned her down three times before he agreed to out with her.

Skye said when Damien found out she was pregnant he became worried about providing for her and the baby, and said that he worked hard for them.

The pair ended up having four kids and lived on the James Smith Cree Nation after they got married in 2012.

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Things took a turn for them when they got into drugs and alcohol and turned violent – Skye detailed a series of injuries she suffered from abuse by Damien.

But she said Damien would also often stand up for Vanessa Burns when Myles was abusing her – explaining one instance when Myles threw Vanessa across the floor while she was eight months pregnant.

Skye said she never liked Myles. She called him evil and that he was always a bully towards Damien. She said he would come around saying he wanted to do brotherly things with Damien, but it always ended with fighting.

She recalled when Damien stepped in between Myles and Vanessa that last time on the first nation. Damien then left with Myles to help calm him down. Skye said she was angry at that.

“That was the last time I ever seen my husband alive. He promised to come back, (saying) ‘I love you,’” Skye explained.

Damien ended up being the first death in Myles’ killing spree.

These days, Skye said her kids are lost because she’s lost after what happened. She said they’re battling depression and she’s trying to get help for her addictions issues.

She said they moved out of the house they’d been in because of the memories there.

Skye’s testimony closed out Thursday at the inquest. On Friday, evidence is expected from the head of the security team on the James Smith Cree Nation, a communications specialist at the RCMP, and possibility a criminal psychologist and criminal profiler.