Sask. stabbing inquest hears mass killer met most markers of psychopathy

A criminal psychologist says the man who committed a brutal mass killing in Saskatchewan in 2022 met nearly all the markers of psychopathy.

As the first week of the coroner’s investigation into the stabbing spree committed by Myles Sanderson in the communities of James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon came to a close on Friday, the inquest heard details about the killer from an expert in investigative criminal psychology.

Matt Logan, also a former RCMP staff sergeant, cited evidence from a psychologist who assessed Sanderson in 2020. It detailed a childhood rife with abuse and instability.

“He was bounced back and forth between two homes between his mother's home and his father's home and also to his grandparents Ernie and Lillian Sanderson’s home,” said Logan.

“He had abuse, allegedly, abuse at that home, where his grandfather threatened to shoot him and he left and went back to his father's home. This happened a number of times during his childhood and early adolescence.”

Sanderson reportedly had difficulty maintaining stable employment, and would often not show up for work or “might not show up willing to work.”

While serving time in prison, Sanderson worked as a COVID-19 cleaner, the inquest heard. There was no indication that Sanderson was involved in gangs as an adult.

Logan said Sanderson’s history of substance use began early with alcohol and cannabis, and he later used methamphetamine “quite heavily” until landing on his drug of choice — cocaine.

Most of his offenses were committed under the influence of alcohol, or alcohol and cocaine, the inquest heard.

In his 2020 assessment, Sanderson told the psychologist he suspected he had fetal alcohol syndrome.

“We did have an interview with his mother and she admitted that she was using alcohol while she was pregnant with Myles,” said Logan.

When admitted to the Saskatchewan Penitentiary, he disclosed he had thoughts of suicide. He acknowledged suffering from anxiety and depression, and believed he had post-traumatic stress disorder.

There was no indication to the psychologist that he had ever experienced psychosis or extreme paranoia. In that assessment, Sanderson was considered to have a high risk to reoffend.

Logan clarified he was not in a position to make a diagnosis of Sanderson, but only establish a hypothesis based on a review of the evidence.

He said it was clear from his review that Sanderson scored high for traits of anti-social personality disorder, and had indicators of a condition called intermittent explosive disorder. Logan said Sanderson scored 33 out of a possible 40 markers for psychopathic traits.

“This is someone who likes to break rules, who has a hard time staying within the rules of society,” he said. “It’s really reckless disregard for self and others. It’s impulsivity, irritability, lack of remorse.”

Antisocial personality traits often stem from a childhood experiencing multiple traumatic events, Logan said.

“He mentioned to psychologists … that he felt unwanted; he felt like he didn't belong,” said Logan.

“The child that doesn't feel they belong will often act out and create attention for themselves, and sometimes it's negative attention.”

The inquest heard Sanderson displayed risk factors for future violence, but Logan said it would be difficult to determine he was capable of committing a spree killing from the information available.

Logan said Sanderson was assessed as a high risk to reoffend, but “lots of people score high.”

“There was probably nothing in those reports that would indicate to me that this was someone that was going to go on a rampage.”

Logan also gave some insight into the relationship between Sanderson and his partner, Vanessa Burns — how the trauma of abuse can serve to reinforce the bond between the victim and their partner.

Vanessa Burns is the former partner of Myles Sanderson. She disclosed she suffered years of domestic violence prior to the murders at James Smith Cree Nation. (Rory MacLean / CTV News)

People with psychopathic tendencies often have a deep need to control their partner and they become very skilled at manipulation, Logan said.

The inquest heard Sanderson’s Sept. 2 assault of his partner in James Smith, after which she left for Saskatoon, could have been an “acute trigger” that brought him “further down that anger road.”

“We don’t blame the person who was assaulted in any way … but it could bring up a lot of other issues.”

Hearing Logan’s testimony, Burns told reporters it made her feel empathy for the father of her five children, who died in police custody on Sept. 7, 2022 after a three-day manhunt.

“It gave me a deeper understanding of Myles. Like, definitions of his behaviour, and his childhood,” she said.

“It hurt to hear about his childhood. Made me feel sad. Sorry for him. He didn’t have a chance, as a child.”

Deborah Burns said hearing her sister Vanessa testify about her abuse on Thursday was painful, but she found relief returning home to her infant child.

“I have a four month old baby who brings a lot of love and joy, and so that helps,” she said.

Deborah Burns says going home to her four-month-old baby is a welcome relief from the emotional toll of the inquest. (Rory MacLean / CTV News)

With so much focus on the violent acts of one man, the two sisters said they worried the inquest could lose sight of the broader issues facing their community — the epidemic of drug addiction and the violence it causes.

The sisters say they hope to find solutions to break those cycles and make a healthier life for their children.

In his testimony Friday, Logan offered his own glimmer of hope — what he calls “fishing upstream.”

He says surrounding children with love and support can prevent deeper issues later in life.

“Too often, we wait until they’re age 16 in a juvenile facility, or worse yet, 18 in a correctional facility. I’m a big believer in starting early and wrapping the community around these children.”