After stabbing her victim 22 times, including 16 blows to the head, Brigitt Blanchard has been found not criminally responsible for the death of her lover - 44 year old Rick Murphy.
Rick Murphy's sister Debra Murphy talked to reporters outside the courthouse. "It was mixed emotions all over for all of us, we knew that that was an option, and probably the best at keeping her incarcerated, second degree murder was really not something that seemed to be too prevalent because of her mental condition, and we were told that all the way along," says Debra.
The murder happened last March in the village of Broderick, near Outlook. Murphy's best friend and another man found his lifeless body on his bedroom floor. Murphy died from severe blood loss and a punctured lung.
In a thirty-five page written decision, Mr. Justice Gerald Allbright found senior psychiatrists at Saskatchewan Hospital agree Blanchard had been, and is suffering from shcizophrenia.
Further, Justice Allbright says, "I find that her delusions provided the motive. She believes that it was necessary for her to do what she did to protect herself and possibly others. Objectively, as I have found, she was wrong in that belief... but she nonetheless believed it."
Witnesses recalled many bizarre outbursts from Blanchard throughout the trial. Court heard she talked regularly about dead aliens, voodoo people, spells, cults, and hearing voices. According to witnesses, Blanchard had a violent track record. They say during her relationship with Murphy she accused him of rape, stabbed him with a pair of scissors, and burnt him with cigarettes.
Judge Allbright calls Blanchard's delusions 'extreme and dark." Allbright says,
"I believe Brigitt Blanchard requires a significant period of treatment in a secure setting in order to firstly stabilize her condition and secondly to ensure to the extent possible that the public is protected from her acting upon her bizarre and unfounded delusions."
Debra Murphy says Blanchard should never be let out. She says "She's proven that she will not conform and follow her medication. Without her medication - she'll murder.. again."
Ultimately Blanchard will live at Saskatchewan Hospital until doctors are convinced she's no longer a danger to the public.
Rick Murphy's family says he will be remembered as a loving uncle, brother, son, and friend.