Saskatchewan man pleads guilty to seconddegree murder in 2015 death of wife

REGINA A Saskatchewan man and his wife were heard arguing the same day he shot her in the head and heart with a revolver in the basement of their home.

An agreed statement of facts was read out in a Regina courtroom Wednesday after John Strang pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of 47-year-old Lisa Strang in August 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to uttering a death threat against another woman, Lynn Larsen.

Strang, 50, was charged two days after his wife’s body was found in their home in McLean, Sask.

Court heard Strang confessed to a friend that he had killed his wife. The friend contacted police, who then found the victim’s body. Officers also search his Jeep and recovered the handgun that he had used.

Lisa Strang was the Saskatchewan Party’s finance director and had been with the party for 11 years.

A neighbour who had overheard the couple arguing on the day of the murder also heard the sound of two bangs a few hours later.

The Crown said Strang alienated his wife from her friends and family. She was the main breadwinner and her husband spent a lot of money and racked up debts that required them to remortgage their house.

Court also heard that Lisa Strang wanted a divorce months before she was killed and her husband had accused her of having an affair.

The Crown and defence are requesting a life sentence with no chance of parole for 17 years.

Strang is to be sentenced on Oct. 25.