Gallagher family awaits 'a very long, drawn-out process' ahead, as another accused pleads not guilty

Another person accused in the Megan Gallagher case has pleaded not guilty.

Thomas Richard Sutherland made his plea at Saskatoon Provincial Court on Wednesday.

“The not-guilty pleas are going to have us here for a long time. This isn’t going to be an overnight process,” Gallagher’s dad, Brian Gallagher, told CTV News.

“This is the sad reality of what happens when someone takes a life — our whole lives have changed.”

Sutherland is charged with unlawful confinement and aggravated assault. He’s one of nine people charged in Gallagher’s death.

Gallagher was reported missing in September 2020. Two years later, police found the 30-year-old woman’s remains near St. Louis, Sask.

Sutherland’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for October.

“It’s a very long, drawn-out process, with very little for the family and friends of the victims,” Gallagher’s dad said, adding that he’s grateful for what support he has received.

Sutherland has opted for a judge-alone trial at Saskatoon’s Court of King’s Bench.