Life in prison for one, 18 years for other in ‘horrific’ Garrioch murder

By Susan McNeil

One man will serve life in prison for murder while the other who was convicted of manslaughter will spend 18 years behind bars after killing Allan Garrioch near Humboldt several years ago.

Tristan Daniel Morrison, 24, and Steven Veilleux, 44, were sentenced in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench, both convicted of causing Garrioch’s death in 2020.

“The circumstances surround the commission of the offences against Mr. Garrioch and Ms. Edwards can only be properly described as horrific,” Queen’s Bench Justice C.J. Popescul said in his decision.

The kidnapping and subsequent death of Garrioch was a result of conflict between Morrison and Garrioch, mainly due to Garrioch dating Morrison’s former girlfriend, Emma-Lyn Edwards.

Morrison and Veilleux, along with Veilleux’s son and two others who remained in the vehicle, broke into Garrioch’s home in Humboldt in February of 2020, beat him, handcuffed him with zip ties and took him to an isolated area where he was shot and left to die.

Edwards was also confined with zip ties.

Both men were convicted following a jury trial in May of this year with sentencing delayed until this week.

The Crown submitted evidence that showed personal and “business” issues between killers and victim.

After Morrison and Edwards broke up, Morrison began threatening her and extended those threats to Garrioch.

The problems escalated with Morrison slashing Garrioch’s tires at one point and later setting fire to his car and then blowing it up.

Shots were fired in retaliation at Morrison, who was at the time accompanied by Brettin Veilleux-Pelletier, Steven’s son.

Court documents also show that Morrison believed a friend of his had suffered serious injuries caused either by Garrioch or one of his family members.

Morrison also had his home broken into, an incident he blamed on Garrioch’s father and associates, one of whom was wearing a gang vest.

The prosecution also submitted that Morrison was selling marijuana and that he thought Garrioch and his family were impacting his sales by selling drugs.

The Crown also said that before the murder, Morrison and some other people drove to Prince Albert from Saskatoon to practise shooting and had tactical gear along with a weapon and ammunition.

It was after that the kidnapping of Garrioch happened and he was taken to a rural area and shot in the head and neck.

The gun used in the practice shooting was the same gun used to shoot Garrioch, the justice said.

In the subsequent police investigation, Veilleux had become a suspect and was seen by officers on March 4 driving a vehicle with his wife, also charged in the case, as a passenger.

When police attempted to stop him, Veilleux fled rather than pulling over.

Dash cam video presented as evidence showed a 50-minute chase with speeds reaching almost 180 kilometres per hour.

The Veilleux vehicle swerved at times into the oncoming lane and several other vehicles were forced to evade it.

Veilleux drove into a small town, left the vehicle and tried to run on foot but was caught a short time later.

Morrison was found guilty of murder by the jury and Veilleux was convicted of manslaughter.

The automatic sentence for first-degree murder is life in jail, which Morrison received. He cannot apply for parole before 25 years.

Charges of committing an indignity to human remains were withdrawn and Morrison pleaded guilty to the unlawful confinement of Edwards.

Veilleux-Pelletier pleaded guilty in 2020 and was sentenced to 18 years in jail, which was reduced to 17 years and seven days with credit for time in remand.

He was convicted of manslaughter, using a firearm to kidnap Garrioch, the unlawful confinement of Edwards and break and enter to commit an assault.

Matters involving Veilleux’s wife and a fifth person are still not concluded.