Victim’s family upset with killer’s sentence
Man gets 14 years after pleading guilty to manslaughter in girlfriend’s death
EDMONTON Cries of anger and anguish filled a courtroom Thursday as the family of a woman whose boyfriend strangled her with tape reacted to the man being handed a 14-year prison sentence.
Lena Steinhauer was killed in an Edmonton rooming house by her boyfriend Ryan Thomas Matchee on Feb. 9, 2015. Although Matchee was charged with second-degree murder, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August.
The Crown sought a sentence of 18 to 20 years, while Matchee’s defence lawyer argued for a range of eight to nine years.
Court of Queen’s Bench Chief Justice Mary Moreau settled on a sentence of 14 years, less 225 days of credit for time served in pretrial custody.
She also imposed a lifelong weapons prohibition, and ordered Matchee to submit a sample of his DNA to a federal database.
“That’s just not right. That was my baby girl. He should’ve got more time than that,” said the victim’s mother, Sheila Steinhauer, speaking tearfully outside the courthouse. “It seems like the system’s not working for us — it’s working for the criminals.”
According to an agreed statement of facts entered with the court in August, Matchee, who was high at the time, killed Steinhauer after barricading several people inside a suite and told them the “Devil needed to come out of her.”
Court heard Matchee fastened a board across the door, telling his companions, “Somebody is going to die.”
A few people escaped, but with Steinhauer and four men still trapped, Matchee ordered her to dance. He quickly became upset with her and stabbed a steel pick through her foot.
He began beating her, throwing her around the suite, and wrapped tape around her head and over her mouth. None of the men intervened — they told investigators they were afraid. As Steinhauer struggled, Matchee wrapped tape around her neck and strangled her with it.
An autopsy later determined this to be her cause of death.
In the meantime, the four men ripped the door open and escaped.
The judge also took into consideration a report on Matchee’s background, which included being the victim of childhood physical and sexual abuse, as well as frequently being shuffled between foster families and relatives’ homes when he was young.
Two members of a foster family with whom Matchee spent more significant time were in court Thursday to support him.
Steinhauer’s family said they plan to attend Matchee’s parole hearings, bringing photos and the story of their loss.
“We all miss her. We think about it every day,” her mother said.
That’s just not right. That was my baby girl. He should’ve got more time ... It seems like the system’s not working for us — it’s working for the criminals.