‘Ruthless killer’ who disguised Saskatoon hanging as suicide jailed

SASKATOON A man who admitted to disguising a Saskatoon homicide as a suicide has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 16 years.

Joshua Andrew Burwell, who is 22, was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to seconddegree murder in the October 2015 death of Bradley Buffalo.

The Crown asked for 20 years of parole ineligibility, while the defence argued for 12.

Court heard the accused and another man got the 30-yearold father of six intoxicated and hanged him in the basement of a vacant home where they had been partying.

Police originally believed the death to be non-criminal, but while in custody on a separate robbery charge earlier this year, Burwell confessed to the slaying.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Richard Danyliuk says in his written decision that the killing was senseless and that Burwell lacks remorse or empathy.

Court was told that toxic substances were put into Buffalo’s beer as he, Burwell and another man drank and did drugs in the vacant house.

Burwell told the third man to prepare a rope in the basement before the accused lured Buffalo downstairs, where the other two hanged him.

Burwell decided to make the murder look like a suicide and both men left Saskatoon.

Danyliuk wrote that what was believed to be a motive for the murder turned out to be a lie concocted by Burwell.

He initially told police Buffalo admitted to sexually abusing a child. Burwell was sexually abused himself and decided to kill him.

The day before a sentencing hearing this fall, Burwell revealed Buffalo’s confession was a lie he made up.

Danyliuk said Burwell is a “cold, violent, ruthless killer” with little prospect of changing his life.

“He can present as calm and likable, but his history of violence discloses another side.”

Buffalo’s family believed for about 18 months that their father died by suicide.