Angose 'Goose' Standingwater's last moments alive detailed at sentencing for fatal stabbing

New details of a 2023 fatal stabbing — where the victim walked into Boston Pizza to get help — emerged at Saskatoon Provincial Court, during a sentencing hearing on Monday.

Angose 'Goose' Standingwater was stabbed in the chest while in the backseat of a moving van on May 20, 2023.

The 30-year-old was left at the intersection of Clarence Avenue South and Brand Road, court heard.

Standingwater walked into the Boston Pizza "leaving a blood trail as he went," according to the case’s agreed statement of facts.

He received CPR from a restaurant customer before paramedics arrived and declared him dead at the scene.

Ashton Wolfe, 20, admitted to stabbing Standingwater and pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Wolfe was handed a nine-year prison sentence, as part of a joint sentencing submission.

"This was an unprovoked attack while a van was being stolen," Crown Prosecutor Oryn Holm told the court.

An entry from Wolfe's diary, obtained by police, was read in court.

"I fu**** up big time, and that's on me. Time to grow up," the May 22, 2023 entry reads.

The white Dodge Caravan that Standingwater was stabbed in belonged to his grandmother, court heard.

Standingwater took the van from her home on the Whitefish First Nation. He picked up two people, and they drove to Saskatoon.

"The group made a few stops along the way, including one stop to get drugs," according to the agreed statement of facts.

Once arriving in Saskatoon, the group went to a home on Avenue D South to pick up three more people. The group later picked up Wolfe, near Prairie Harm Reduction.

The group then went to a party at Confederation Inn.

At 10:15 p.m. — about an hour before Standingwater was pronounced dead — Oceana Cantre drove the van to Walmart, on Clarance Avenue South.

At around 11:00 p.m., while driving away from Walmart, Wolfe stabbed Standingwater with a knife he had in his bag, court heard.

Police asked Cantre why she left Standingwater at the intersection, bleeding, suffering from a stab wound.

According to her warned statement to police, she wasn't watching what was happening in the backseat; the light turned green and she simply drove on.

In Wolfe's warned statement to police, he said he stabbed Standingwater because he was jealous of his interaction with Cantre earlier in the night.

When police asked if the stabbing was over jealousy, or stealing the van, he said that it was both.

Police questioned Wolfe about the Terror Squad, and if there was any connection between the gang and the stabbing.

Wolfe told police he was instructed to stab Standingwater by higher-ups in the gang, but didn't provide any further details. Wolfe immediately retracted the statement, and said he made-up the allegation, court heard.

The Crown said Wolfe consumed meth before providing his statement to police.

The Crown said concerns around Wolfe's statement being admissible evidence lead to his charge being downgraded — from first-degree murder, to manslaughter.

'Goose' deeply loved by friends, family

Standingwater is remembered as a loving father, a talented grass dancer, a hardworking semi-truck driver and a jokester who built relationships on inside jokes.

Thirty victim-impact statements, from Standingwater's family and friends, were read into the court record.

They described their lives as "broken" since losing Standingwater.

Standingwater's daughter, Santanita Standingwater, said she holds onto voicenotes and photos of her father.

"He wasn't supposed to leave us like this," the 13-year-old said.

She called Wolfe's actions "heartless, selfish and cruel."

The judge held back tears as she acknowledged Standingwater's family.

"It is evident from those victim-impact statements, Mr. Standingwater's death has devastated his family and friends, and that he was deeply loved," the judge said, wiping away tears.