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Ashton Lloyd Butch Saddleback has lost an appeal of his second-degree murder conviction for killing his mother. The decision against his appeal was handed down on Jan. 19 in the Alberta Court of Appeal in Edmonton.
Court heard that he had stomped on her head more than once while she was on the floor.
Court heard that Saddleback lived with his mother in Maskwacis. On Nov. 6, 2020, he had a court appearance in Ponoka on an impaired driving charge. After the court appearance, he went to a bar in Ponoka and at around 4 p.m., his mother picked him up and drove him back to their home.
Saddleback remained at home that afternoon and evening drinking. His mother came and went during the afternoon and evening accompanied by two 12-year-old girls to whom she and Saddleback are related.
The mother returned home with the girls at around 11:45 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2020. She was intoxicated. Soon after her return, the altercation that caused her death happened.
His mother’s body was found in the mudroom, a confined space on the main floor leading to the garage door.
RCMP found thousands of blood spatter stains on the east wall of the mudroom closest to his mother’s body. Those were created by the mother “receiving multiple blows to an exposed blood source,” which was on or close to the floor. There were also spatter stains outside the mudroom.
Dr Bannach, a pathologist, testified that the mother died of head and neck injuries. Two vertebrae in her neck were fractured; her nose was fractured; most of her face and scalp were bruised; there was a laceration on her forehead; and her ear was badly torn. A brain examination showed bleeding on the surface of the brain.
The condition of her body indicated multiple applications of force though it was possible that the mother sustained the injuries to her head by sustaining one big application of force while her head was resting on its side against the floor. That would injure both sides of the head.
The two children overheard the assault taking place, while they were downstairs in the basement. They thought it lasted between 15 and 30 minutes. One girl said it was “like somebody was getting thrown around or something.” She heard “thuds” and “slamming” and a sound like “banging on the ground.” Both heard the mother scream after which the banging stopped.
Saddleback told police that he didn’t remember much and had “blacked out” due to alcohol consumption.
Saddleback recalled confronting his mother about hitting his children in the past. They both “got really mad.” He got very angry and “started hitting her and … just lost control.”
He punched her with his fists knocking her into the mudroom. When his mother fell to the floor, Saddleback stomped on her head with the bare heel of his left foot. The stomping caused his heel to swell. His knuckles were bloody and sore.
Saddleback’s sentence on Oct. 28, 2022, to life imprisonment stands.
