Saskatoon man who murdered spouse won't be eligible for parole for 17 years

Saskatoon -

Blake Schreiner will spend life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 17 years for the brutal killing of his spouse, Tammy Brown.

Brown was found with 80 stab wounds in her River Heights home on Jan. 29, 2019.

The defence argued Schreiner suffered a schizophrenia type disorder during the offence, and rendered him incapable of appreciating the severity of his actions.

The Crown argued problems in the couple’s relationship, and Schreiner’s fears about a potential custody battle over their two kids, fuelled the killing.

Justice Ron Mills found Schreiner guilty of second-degree murder in June. He said he had “great difficulty” with Schreiner’s testimony about hearing voices.

Mills made the sentencing decision at Saskatoon’s Court of Queen’s Bench on Friday morning.

The Crown pushed for no parole eligibility for 18 years, while the defence wanted 12 years.

Crown prosecutor Mel Kujawa said she was very pleased with Schreiner’s sentence, and hopes the case will send a strong message about domestic violence.

“Domestic violence will not be tolerated and will be dealt with very severely by the courts. The standards have been raised, we’re not handing out light sentences anymore, and when the criminal code says it’s an aggravating factor — the court is taking this seriously,” Kujawa told reporters outside court.

Defence lawyer Brad Mitchell said he’s “disappointed” about the sentencing decision.

“It’s a lot longer than we were hoping for,” Mitchell said.

The defence has 30 days to appeal the decision.

CTV News asked Mitchell if the defence has a plan to appeal, he replied, “no comment.”

SCHREINER FAMILY BELIEVES JUSTICE SYSTEM FAILED TO RECOGNIZE MENTAL ILLNESS

For the first time in the case, Schreiner’s mom, Donna Schreiner, spoke to the media.

She held a sign that read, “Support Mental Health.”

Donna said her son’s mental breakdown lead to Brown’s death.

“We knew our son was dealing with mental health, but it’s hard to prove in our legal system. I feel the justice and mental health system let Blake down,” Donna said.

“No matter what the prosecutor says, I know this was not domestic violence, but a mental health issue.”

Mills said the couple’s two kids are “the most important victims.”

He said it’s unknown what the long-term effects on the children will be, but “there’s no doubt that the children will come to know that their mother was murdered at the hand of their father.”

During the trial, court heard that when Schreiner's three-year-old son woke up, he came into the room and his feet got soaked in blood.

Schreiner told an investigator he then made breakfast and "hung out" with his kids he "might not ever see" again before calling police to the couple's home.

During a Sept. 10 sentencing hearing, a recording of Brown’s now three-year-old son was played.

He could be heard saying “I wish my mom was here to kiss me."

During a recorded interview with a police investigator entered as evidence during his trial, Schreiner said Brown's last words were addressed to her children.

"Mommy loves you."