Man Killed Wife With Crowbar...Said He'd Been Thinking About Doing It For A Long Time

[bloodrayne]

Unrepentant Farmer Sentenced To Life

Killed wife in 'vicious' crowbar attack

Canada - An unrepentant Alberta farmer who bashed his wife to death with a crowbar was sentenced to life in prison today, however he could get out in as early as eight years.

Court of Queen’s Bench Justice John Gill called it a “vicious” and “very disturbing” attack, but agreed to a joint recommendation for Barry Schacker, 58, to only be made ineligible for parole for the minimum 10-year period.

That means Schacker – a farmer from Thorhild, 100 km northeast of Edmonton – could be released from prison in roughly eight years because the sentence is calculated to begin from the time of arrest for the May 27, 2005, slaying.

“The facts of this case are very disturbing,” said Gill. “Mr. Schacker committed a vicious and unprovoked attack with a weapon on his defenseless spouse in front of her daughter. He has shown no remorse.”

On Wednesday, Schacker pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing his wife of nine years, Catharine Schacker, 55, and the judge noted the parole ineligibility period for the offence can range from 10 years to 25 years.

Gill stated an assault on a spouse is an aggravating factor in sentencing, but agreed to let Schacker be eligible for parole after serving the minimum 10-year period due to his age, poor health and lack of previous criminal record.

The judge also hit Schacker with a life-time weapons ban, ordered him to surrender a sample of his DNA for the national DNA databank and recommended prison authorities transfer him to a medium security facility.

Court heard there were concerns for Schacker’s safety if he was at the maximum-security Edmonton Institution.

In a disturbing videotaped police interview, a laughing, foul-mouthed Schacker told an RCMP officer he was not sorry, “not a bit,” for killing his wife.

“I’m sorry I finished it off too soon. Yes, I’m very, very sorry,” said Schacker, adding he was angry because he had had “better things” planned for her.

When asked what things, Schacker replied he had intended to brand the family’s “XO” cattle-branding marking on his wife’s buttocks, one letter on each side.

“How long were you stewing about that one?” asked the Mountie who was interviewing Schacker.

“Probably about three months,” he replied laughing.

The farmer also said he “enjoyed every bit” of the deadly crowbar attack and said it “felt wonderful,” although he wishes he could have “drug it on a little bit, a lot longer.”

“I loved it. I didn’t think I was a killer, but I’m a killer.”

Schacker, who described himself as being “bad” and “terrible” all his life, told the officer he and his wife had not been getting along for several years, since she got a “demon” computer and had gained a lot of weight.

Crown prosecutor Steven Koval told court Schacker killed his wife after getting angry over her daughter and granddaughter staying at the couple’s farm.

Court heard Schacker called police to see what could be done to get the pair off his property, and when he was told nothing, he went to the garage and got a crowbar.

Schacker then returned to where his wife was sitting in the kitchen having tea with her daughter and began hitting her repeatedly in the head area with the crowbar.

Court heard the daughter tried to help and was hit herself with the crowbar on the shoulder. She then grabbed her 14-year-old daughter and fearfully fled the home.

The daughter called 911 and watched as Schacker also left the home, got into a vehicle and drove away.

Police found Schacker later that day unconscious in his vehicle, which was parked in a field near Smoky Lake, with a pill container nearby and arrested him.

Catharine Schacker died in hospital the next day.

Court heard an autopsy revealed the victim had five lacerations to her skull with multiple fractures and bleeding on the brain and died from blunt cranial trauma.

The former nurse also suffered a broken nose, lacerations on her chin and bruising on her chest and shoulder.

Schacker had been charged with first-degree murder, but defence lawyer Peter Royal said his client “just snapped” and hadn’t planned the attack despite telling police “he had been thinking about killing his wife for some time.”