Acquitted of Murder, Convicted of Manslaughter

Manslaughter conviction for 2017 death at Tootinaowaziibeeng

A Manitoba man has been convicted of manslaughter for the death of a man whose remains were discovered only after they had been unearthed by animals.

Rylan McKay, 27, stood trial earlier this month for second-degree murder in the June 2017 killing of 44-year-old Wallace Catagas on Tootinaowaziibeeng First Nation.

In a decision issued Wednesday, Queen’s Bench Justice Sandra Zinchuk convicted McKay of the lesser charge, ruling he was too intoxicated by alcohol and cocaine to form the intent to commit murder.

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Catagas was McKay’s mother’s common-law husband.

Court heard evidence at trial McKay beat Catagas on the head with a metal pole June 17, 2017, after Catagas had allegedly assaulted McKay’s mother earlier in the evening.

There was no forensic evidence tying McKay to the killing, only the testimony of four witnesses who told police he had confessed.

McKay’s former girlfriend testified he admitted to the killing, and threatened to kill her and other members of her family if she told anyone.

Source:

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/manslaughter-conviction-for-2017-death-at-tootinaowaziibeeng-574325572.html