Canadian True Crime - 65 The Murder of Hannah Leflar - Part 2

Episode Date: April 22, 2020

[ Part 2 of a 2 part series ]REGINA, SASKATCHEWANPart 2 of the story of a sweet 16 year old girl would become the focal point of a devastating story of twisted obsession and revenge.Find out more about: The Robb Nash Project Needhelpnow.cakidshelpphone.caCredits: Research: Enya BestResearch and writing: Kristi LeeAudio editing and production: We Talk of Dreams  Disclaimer voiced by the host of Beyond Bizarre True Crime Theme Song: We Talk of Dreams All credits and information sources can be found on the page for this episode at www.canadiantruecrime.ca/episodes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast contains course language, adult themes, and content of a violent and disturbing nature. Listener discretion is advised. Where we left off, Skylar had been using friends to snoop on Hannah, reporting back with personal info. Because she had blocked him on social media, he created a fake account to snoop on her Facebook profile. On January the 11th, 2015, he saw a picture of Hannah with someone else looking happy, and he realized that she had moved on. Skylar decided that if he couldn't have her, no one could. This is Christy, and you're listening to Canadian True Crime, Episode 65.

In the early morning hours of January the 12th, Skylar messaged the friend who had signed up for the driver's class just to spy on Hannah and told him to bring a knife to school. That friend didn't respond, so Skylar messaged another friend who replied, Okay, this other friend was Lucas, Hannah's former friend and the guy that had been in the car with Skylar as he did his drive-bys. Later that morning between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Skylar messaged Lucas with instructions. His plan was for Lucas to again be the law by sending Hannah a text that said, I need to talk to you about important things after school. It won't take long. Just leave your door unlocked.

I'll show up a few minutes after you. Skylar said to Lucas that that was all he needed to say to her. He then added, Halloween happens today. After a few more back-and-forths, Lucas replied, you know I'm in. At the time Lucas had a girlfriend who will call Veronica. That very day the pair had been dating for exactly six months and had arrangements to meet up after school to celebrate their anniversary. But according to Veronica, Lucas unexpectedly called off their date. At the time she didn't know why.

Lucas did as he was told, slightly differently to how Skylar instructed. He likely knew that Hannah wouldn't respond to him directly, so he went through one of her friends asking if Hannah would agree to meet at lunch. Hannah was confused because she hadn't communicated much with Lucas lately, but showed up with the friend to a classroom at their high school. According to the friend, Lucas asked Hannah if he could come over to her house after school and hang out, just the two of them. Hannah told Lucas that she didn't want to. She thought it was strange and suspicious. After all, this was the guy who was with Skylar when the pipe wrench attack happened.

Lucas was not her friend. So she declined the offer and then she messaged her boyfriend to tell him what had happened, describing Lucas' contact as being random and sketchy. She didn't trust Lucas. Despite the fact that Lucas had been unsuccessful in his plan to lure Hannah, he messaged Skylar just after 1.30pm, inquiring, We still doing it? The answer was yes. Just before 3pm that afternoon, Skylar picked Lucas up from school

and would testify that he told him bluntly that he was going to kill Hannah. They were going to drive straight to Hannah's house where they would wait for her to walk home from school. He said that he couldn't recall if Lucas tried to talk him out of his plan, but if he did, Skylar wasn't listening. He was focused. He did remember that Lucas told him that he felt excited about what was about to happen. According to Skylar, once they got to Hannah's street, Lucas suggested that they reclined the truck seats back to avoid detection

and moved the vehicle down the street so that Hannah wouldn't see it. According to Lucas, reclining the seats was Skylar's idea. A car passed by and the person in the car noticed the two of them, describing Lucas as appearing animated, while Skylar was slouched down in the driver's seat. Skylar wore dark jeans, a camouflage jacket and latex work gloves. In his hand was an 11 inch hunting knife. Skylar would say that he was quite certain that Lucas knew he had a hunting knife with him

and believed he had shown it to him as they waited in the truck. He reported that Lucas also had a small pocket knife in the truck, which had a two to three inch blade. Skylar instructed Lucas that his role in the whole thing was to stay in the truck and act as a lookout in case Hannah's boyfriend came over. But Lucas wasn't going to do that. He insisted that he was going into the house too. Between 3.30 and 3.45, Hannah walked down the street and turned into her house.

Lucas and Skylar watched her walk through the side door of the house and then got out of the truck and walked over, slipping in behind her. Skylar first and Lucas right behind him. Hannah came face to face with them in the hallway. She screamed Skylar's name and then ran to the master bedroom. There was a key lock on the door, so she was likely hoping to be able to lock herself in. According to Lucas, Hannah tripped and fell as she ran into the room. Skylar seized his opportunity as she was down and jumped on top of her,

wielding his 11 inch knife. Skylar maintained that after he stabbed her the first time, he went blank. The evidence showed he stabbed Hannah multiple times in the torso, arm, back, hands and the back of her head, the wound which would cause her death. Skylar also managed to cut himself on the hand. He said that the next thing he remembered, he looked up and saw Lucas standing by the bedroom door, just watching. Lucas said that he froze during the attack and remained in that position, watching Skylar. Even though he was only two to three feet away,

he said that he thought Skylar was just hitting Hannah with his fist because the angle of their bodies obstructed his view. He maintained he didn't know that Skylar had actually been stabbing Hannah until after the attack, when he got up, and only then did Lucas see the knife. In the moment, he said he was fearful of Skylar and thought he might turn on him. After Hannah took her last breath and stopped moving, Skylar grabbed the knife and Hannah's cell phone, giving them to Lucas with the instruction to smash the cell phone later.

After the attack, the two 16-year-olds went back to Skylar's truck. They realised they had to explain his hand injury, so they concocted a story about a hunting accident. They then drove to the house of Lucas' girlfriend Veronica. Veronica returned home from school at around 4pm to find Lucas and Skylar waiting for her outside the house. She saw Skylar smash her cell phone, although she didn't know who it belonged to. She observed that Skylar had a cut on his hand, which he said he'd done while hunting. To Veronica, he looked to be in shock. She said she tried to tend to Skylar's hand wound,

but quickly realised he needed professional medical attention. So she called her mother and asked her to come home from work and then drive them to the hospital. As for her boyfriend Lucas, Veronica described him as being fidgety, jumpy and aggravated. Once at the hospital, they all waited until Skylar's father arrived. While they were waiting, Lucas texted the friend who had spied on Hannah at the driving class. Quote, Project zombified done. Halloween is complete. According to Skylar, in the hours that followed, he and Lucas drove to an alley where he told Lucas to throw the knife into a dumpster along with Hannah's cell phone case. But Skylar changed his mind and told Lucas to go and get the knife back out of the dumpster.

They ended up stashing it in the snow near an abandoned farm yard where it would be recovered by police. According to Veronica, Lucas returned to her house later that night and they went to her bedroom to talk. It should be noted that in her original statements to police, she denied any knowledge of what went on with Hannah. She said the same thing at the preliminary hearing. But two years after Hannah's murder, she changed her story in an interview before her scheduled testimony at Lucas' trial. And it was because of this new information that the judge declared a mistrial. What Veronica disclosed was this. That night, when she and Lucas went back to her bedroom to talk, Lucas asked her if she remembered the plans about Halloween.

She said she did, largely from eavesdropping on conversations between Skylar and Lucas. He then told her that he and Skylar went to Hannah's house that afternoon and gave her the details of Skylar's attack on Hannah. Veronica felt traumatised and didn't go to school the next day. She also didn't report it to police. Her excuse for not disclosing that information for at least two years was that her trauma caused her memory to black out the details. After the mistrial, her changed testimony would have been presented at the next trial. But as we know, Lucas pleaded guilty when he discovered the police had gained access to his deleted text messages. At Lucas' sentencing hearing, Veronica said that her memory had been restored through a combination of personal recall, conversations she'd had with the Crown and her counsellors and reading media reports of Hannah's murder.

The day after the murder, Lucas acted like everything was normal. He attended school as if nothing had happened, acted confused about what happened and put on a show of comforting Hannah's devastated friends. He also sent a message to his brother telling him that Hannah was dead and then used the analogy of conquering a well-known violent video game, sounding proud and excited about the way the game had ended. So, with the facts of the case laid bare, it was the Crown's duty to prove that both Skylar and Lucas should be sentenced as adults. At Skylar's hearing, various reports were presented by youth workers and psychologists. Results of a risk assessment tool found that Skylar had a 54% chance of reoffending in some way. Of the eight risk factors to assess, two were found to be strengths.

Skylar didn't have any substance abuse issues and no previous criminal sentences. But the other six risk factors were marked as concerns. The fact that he dropped out of school, the circumstances of his childhood and family situation, things he did with his free time, companions he kept and his social skills. Anti-social behaviour was a common thread in the reports, as was Skylar's inability to take full responsibility for the offence. At times, he was reported to be remorseful and showed regret. He was reported as saying, Hannah did not deserve to die, she was a good girl.

But other times, he tried to justify and minimise the impact of his behaviour. He blamed Hannah for breaking up with him. He disclosed that his own mother told him that she attempted to strangle him as a baby and his father wanted to abort him. The report cited abandonment issues. Skylar even attempted to downplay the effect that he thought Hannah's death had had on her own family. Skylar said he believed he was clinically depressed when he murdered Hannah and because of this, he didn't feel like he needed a harsh punishment.

But when asked about his plans to address his various risk factors, he only seemed willing to consider it if he received a youth sentence. As you'll recall, Skylar told Hannah when they were together that if they broke up, he would kill himself. One of the psychologists reported that Skylar said a similar thing to her, but this time, he said he would kill himself if he got the adult sentence. A psychologist for the Crown believed Skylar showed a lack of empathy, was manipulative and had psychopathic tendencies, something he saw only rarely.

In fact, he said that of the 5,600 patients he'd treated over 19 years, he only saw these traits in less than five people, including Skylar. He said that he found Skylar to be arrogant, narcissistic and that he displayed a sense of always-about-me type of thinking. He didn't believe that Skylar was clinically depressed and said that there was a difference between self-harm and being suicidal. The Crown psychologist also said that Skylar believed he had schizophrenia because he heard voices that told him to attack Hannah

and reported that they ended shortly after he murdered her. The psychologist went on to say that he did not believe Skylar had schizophrenia, adding that the teenager couldn't describe any other symptoms of the disorder. A psychologist for the Defence actually scored Skylar on a psychopathy test. It should be noted that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-5, dictates that people under the age of 18 cannot be labelled psychopaths and currently there is no standard test for psychopathy in children. The psychologist for the Crown had only stated that Skylar had psychopathic tendencies.

Nevertheless, this psychologist for the Defence administered the full adult test on Skylar and it was his finding that the teen scored extremely low. He described Skylar as soft-spoken, downcast and rather emotionally flat, as well as immature and without an adult appreciation for the nature of the murder. The psychologist provided incorrect information about the supposed lack of programs available to Skylar if he were to receive an adult sentence. The Crown took issue with this and called a witness from Corrections Services Canada to provide the correct information about the many programs available.

At Skylar's sentencing hearing, the court heard from Constable Garth Fleece from the Regina Police Services Forensic Identification Unit. He processed the crime scene and also searched Skylar's house, seizing a bunch of items including bloody clothing and a broken cell phone. He testified that Skylar's basement bedroom was painted red with knives, swords and a pallet gun mounted on the walls, along with posters of zombies and muscle cars. And there were other weapons seized including at least one other pallet gun,

a bow and arrow set and other items including an old hacksaw, a rubber mask of a devil-looking face and a baseball bat with nails driven through the end. One of Skylar's friends testified at the hearing about some of the Facebook messages exchanged between the two. In one message, Skylar wrote that he might become a serial killer. In another, he said, quote, I kind of really want to kill Hannah, like it literally crosses my mind pretty much every day. I like have it pretty much all planned out and I don't think she's safe around me. If I saw her with another guy, I would probably kill them both.

In her reply, the friend offered to find Hannah and beat her up. She openly cried as she read aloud some of the messages, explaining that she talked a lot of smack at the time. Skylar also said he wanted to smash Hannah's teeth and for someone to throw a shovel at her so she would die. Quote, I'd like to hit her with my truck. That would be nice. On the final day of his sentencing hearing, Skylar read an apology letter, saying, I can't apologize enough for what I've done.

He said he regretted his actions and stated that it would never happen again. He wasn't in a stable state of mind at the time, he said, and wanted to offer reassurance that he would complete any rehabilitative programming that was recommended for him. He said he will now live his life doing good for Hannah because of what he did to her, adding, everyone makes mistakes and we have to right those wrongs. In closing arguments for the sentencing hearing, the crown prosecutor Chris White described Hannah's murder as sophisticated and planned

and argued that a youth sentence does not hold Skylar appropriately accountable. He said Skylar lacks empathy, compassion and the ability to feel remorse and that he's only concerned with his own state of affairs. Defence lawyer Corinne Maider asked the judge to consider Skylar's immaturity, the fact that he was only 16 years old at the time of Hannah's murder. She argued that Skylar fell into a deep depression and decided that his only way out was for Hannah to die. She added that Skylar now has a positive outlook

and a willingness to work on his issues. The court heard victim impact statements from 12 of Hannah's loved ones. Her mother Janet Leffler choked back tears as she told the court that Hannah was her only child and now she will never know her as an adult. She described what the family had been through, adding that she now suffers from severe depression and anxiety and had to give up a career she'd spent over a decade building because she couldn't face going back to work.

Janet told the court that because Hannah was murdered in the master bedroom, she and Wade had to move into the basement of their house. She said she hoped she would be able to hold Hannah again. Quote, I hope to say sorry for not protecting her. Janet then looked straight at Skylar and told him, where she is, you won't be going. Hannah's father Jeff and stepmother Laurie also spoke about their grief and how Hannah is the first thing on their mind when they wake up

and at night when they go to bed. Quote, he has given Hannah a death sentence and us a life sentence. Skylar was described as displaying little emotion, looking straight ahead and mostly avoiding eye contact with the courtroom. At one point he was observed to be wiping his eyes. With that, the court rested. The judge would be back at a later date with a decision about whether to sentence Skylar as an adult.

Outside the courtroom, Janet Lefler spoke to the media. She said it had been a really difficult couple of years and that they were glad this proceeding was over. Quote, every time we come back to court the scab gets ripped off again. How do we grieve? I need to grieve for my daughter. She said she didn't believe Skylar's apology, describing it as being all about him and how he feels. She said she would never forgive him for murdering Hannah.

She then turned to her memories of her daughter. Quote, Hannah was funny and smart and wonderful. She just had a great amount of common sense. Two months later, just days before Skylar's sentencing decision was due to be handed down, Hannah's parents gave a full interview to the media. They said they wanted Skylar to get an adult sentence because his name and identity would be made public and they wanted the world to know who murdered their daughter.

Both sets of parents went on to describe how their lives had changed two and a half years on from Hannah's murder. Janet said that Hannah's bed remained unmade in the house with her bedroom being exactly as she'd left it with the only obvious addition being a large purple urn on her nightstand. Janet described it as surreal and unbelievable, a living hell trying to get some kind of semblance of normalcy. Quote, we're still trying to come to grips with even how she died.

Janet had since gotten two tattoos to memorialise Hannah. One of Hannah's handprint and another of her as a three-year-old wearing a raincoat standing in a puddle. Hannah's father and stepmother, Jeff and Laurie, reported that they too had left Hannah's room at their house untouched. Jeff choked back tears as he called his daughter an absolute joy to raise. Quote, she was my everything, she was my motivation in life to be a better person. He added they hadn't been able to take a step forward

and they felt like they were in limbo. Quote, we've been given a life sentence. By now, we've all heard the stories about Ted Bundy, Charles Manson and other American serial killers, but have you heard about Rodney Alcala, the dating game killer? He may have been even more deadly. From Wondery, the team that brought you Dirty John and Joe Exotic Tiger King comes The Dating Game Killer.

In the middle of his string of murders, Rodney Alcala was a contestant on the popular television show The Dating Game and he won. How was it that a cold-blooded serial killer made it onto a TV show that millions of people watched? And no one could see what he really was. Police know of five people that Alcala murdered, but the real number could be closer to a hundred. This is the story of the most famous serial killer that you've never heard of.

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Back in court, Justice Jennifer Pritchard was ready to deliver her decision. She detailed how Skylar stalked Hannah for months, planned to kill her boyfriend with project zombify, but that fell through when they broke up. A few months later, when Skylar saw a picture of Hannah and a new boyfriend, he became enraged with jealousy. Justice Pritchard said that Skylar was the sole architect of the attack, which she described as brutal and sustained. Skylar invaded the sanctity of Hannah's home and Hannah did not immediately die when he first stabbed her. It took significant effort and perseverance by Skylar with the intent of causing death. The judge then described the troublesome steps he took after the murder,

describing how Skylar was sufficiently composed and quick-minded to grab Hannah's cell phone before leaving the house and how he quickly came up with an excuse for the injury to his hand, as well as having the forethought for destruction and disposal of the cell phone and the knife used. As for Skylar's claims of depression, Justice Pritchard said there was no evidence that depression was a significant element or even a factor in the commission of the offence. She added that depression drains a person. Quote, it does not rev them up to commit this type of cruel, persistent, bloody, hands-on first-degree murder that we have here. With that, Skylar was sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for 10 years.

This meant that the publication ban was lifted and for the first time, the public would find out his full name and exactly who he was. Before he was escorted out of court, Justice Pritchard addressed Skylar directly, telling him, No one wants you to die. Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary situation. The media reported that Skylar's family stormed out of court, shouting that they loved him and calling the sentence unfair. On the steps of the courthouse, Janet Leffler said the family was relieved to hear the sentence. Quote, we can finally say Skylar Prokner murdered my daughter, which is a big, big victory for us. But there's really no winners today, no one won anything. Hannah is still gone. So it's a hollow victory, but it's a victory.

Next for Skylar would be his placement hearing. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, a young person sentenced as an adult is entitled to a hearing deciding on where their sentence would be continued. At the time, Skylar was due to turn 20 in eight months and 20 is generally the age cut-off for the Paul Dojak Youth Centre he'd been staying in. So the placement hearing was held to determine if the next eight months of his sentence would be spent at the Youth Centre, or if he should be transferred immediately to an adult penitentiary. The judge ruled that Skylar would be moved immediately to the Saskatchewan Penitentiary. In the meantime, his defence team had lodged an appeal. In the days after the public found out that the youth they'd been reading about was named Skylar Prokner,

the media scrambled to find out all they could about him. Two of Hannah's best friends, Deanna and Brenna, spoke to CBC News. They said in hindsight that Hannah's murder was surprising, but at the same time, it wasn't. They witnessed some of Skylar's obsessive and controlling behaviour. Brenna said, he was very much like, your mind forever, nobody else gets you. They described their friend as smart, sassy and stubborn, someone who always saw the best in people. Even though Hannah broke up with Skylar, she refused to consider that he could harm her. It was only after she died that Hannah's friends learned that a large group of kids,

dozens at their high school, knew that Skylar wanted to harm Hannah and some even agreed to help him. These kids were in high school with Hannah and her friends every day. In classes, at lunch and no one said anything because many of them thought Skylar was joking. Quote, these were people that argued seriously that they were her best friends and these were the people who contributed to her being murdered. CBC News reported that crown prosecutors considered the possibility of laying charges of conspiracy to murder on the teens involved in Project Zombify, but they decided that ultimately Justice for Hannah was better served with their participation as witnesses.

Two months later, in September of 2017, was the sentencing hearing for Lucas, whose identity and name were still under a publication ban. As with Skylar's hearing, a number of professionals prepared reports and testified including youth workers and psychologists. 19-year-old Lucas himself would also testify. According to the reports presented at his hearing as well as his own testimony, Lucas had an unstable early childhood characterised by abuse and neglect at the hands of his primary caregivers, who included his mother and her partners because his biological father wasn't in the picture. Lucas would rate his mother as a parent giving her a 3 out of 10.

Five years were reportedly spent in the care of a stepfather who was described as being excessively disciplinarian as well as physically and verbally abusive towards Lucas. He described a childhood where he didn't have many friends and was bullied to the point of tears. He said he suffered rejection, ridicule and loneliness and struggled to keep the few friends he had. Once he entered high school, Lucas's life got a little better. His mother broke up with his stepfather and the family moved in with her parents, his grandparents, which created a more stable environment for him. After this, he said he got his emotions under control and his social life improved.

He found himself able to get along with others and he made friends including Skylar and focused on his schoolwork. Lucas met his biological father for the first time at around this time and in grade 9, Lucas moved in with him and his family. But he didn't finish the school year, he testified that he kind of gave up. He ended up being a year behind his school friends and moved back in with his mother. Lucas reported that he had to fend for himself and his brother from a young age. His mother was in and out of his life, frequently unemployed and unable to adequately provide for the family. One of the reports said that Lucas didn't have pro-social support from his biological parents,

meaning that he wasn't encouraged to contribute to and view society in a positive way. The general level of parental engagement, supervision, general support and guidance was described as not adequate over the years. In his teens, Lucas became the sole provider since there was no other income. In October of 2013, just over a year before Hannah's murder, 14-year-old Lucas took on part-time employment at Tim Hortons. And over time, his hours increased significantly, growing to around 35 hours a week just before Hannah's murder, almost the equivalent of a full-time job. He had a good reputation there and was said to have displayed a positive work ethic.

But he was trying to fit school around his work. His grades were poor because he could only attend school two to three days a week. He reported that he felt physically and emotionally drained at the end of each day. Apart from school and his job, Lucas reportedly had no outside interests and he didn't make constructive use of his leisure or recreational time. That said, the month before Hannah's murder, he and his brother moved back in with their maternal grandparents and they went to the Ministry of Social Services for financial support. The report identified these grandparents as the most significant source of support and direction throughout Lucas' life.

But it was noted that his grandfather had passed away since Hannah's murder and his grandmother appeared to have discontinued contact with him. Lucas' potential for re-offending was assessed using the same risk assessment tool for Skyler. Skyler was given a 54% chance of re-offending, with six out of the eight risk factors being of concern. In the various reports presented by youth workers and psychologists at Lucas' hearing, he was found to have a 36% chance of re-offending, with four of the eight risk factors being of concern. Those were his family circumstances, his lack of interest or recreational activities outside school and work, the companions he kept, namely Skyler, and a pro-criminal attitude.

On the other hand, it was considered a strength that Lucas had no prior convictions, held down a stable job, was not overly problematic at school and didn't have any alcohol or substance abuse issues. The professionals noted that while Lucas said he felt guilt, sadness and remorse, Skyler didn't appear to take full responsibility for his actions and tried to minimize his role in Hannah's murder. He maintained that he had no idea what was going to happen and didn't know that Skyler had planned on killing Hannah, even though Skyler's first message to Lucas was telling him to bring a knife to school. When Lucas told the story of what happened to Hannah, he was reported to appear very flat and showed no emotions. Several of the professionals noted that there seemed to be a disconnect there and Lucas taking responsibility for his role,

and he thought it was unfair that he was held to the same standard as Skyler. That said, he seemed to care about Hannah's family and how his actions impacted them. Lucas was found to have a tendency to be depressive, sad, negative, prone to self-pity, willing to be influenced by stronger personalities and a follower, not a leader, a people pleaser, easily influenced. He was described as trying hard to fit in, often putting aside his own values and beliefs. The crown's position was that Lucas could have chosen to intervene, but he didn't. One of the psychologists reported that when she asked him why he didn't try to intervene, he replied that his morals weren't there that day.

Another psychologist said that Lucas stated that he was just trying to support his friend, who was grieving from the loss of the relationship, but he didn't think it would lead to the outcome of a loss of life. Skyler Prokner testified during Lucas's sentencing hearing, telling his version of the story. He was observed to be choking back tears as he recounted the details. He said that as he was attacking Hannah with the knife, he looked behind him and saw Lucas standing in the bedroom. He said he also thought that Lucas might have been holding Hannah's legs down, but the only thing he had to base this on was a vague recollection of seeing Lucas pull up from a crouched position. Skyler admitted that he never actually saw Lucas hold her down.

Under cross-examination, Lucas's defense lawyer Greg Wilson asked Skyler about whether Lucas had a knife with him, referring to testimony Skyler gave at a preliminary hearing that suggested Lucas did not have a knife with him in the house. Skyler responded that when he looked back at Lucas, he saw a knife in his hand, but when he looked back again, he saw that Lucas had put it away. Lucas would be asked about this knife later in his own testimony. The defense asked questions to establish that Skyler was the planner and Lucas didn't have any input into what was going to happen. Skyler confirmed that he planned it alone. He told the court that he even told his friend Lucas to stay in the truck,

but Lucas insisted on going into Hannah's house too. Skyler testified that Lucas told him he felt excited about what was about to happen. At this point, in Lucas's sentencing hearing before the defense made their case, victim impact statements were read. In this hearing, there was a clear theme of betrayal, as Hannah once considered Lucas to be a good friend. Janet Leffler, Hannah's mum, said that it was difficult to put into words the gravity of the loss they had suffered. She described Hannah as the light of her life and felt nothing but absolute pride whenever she spoke of her. Then, Janet spoke about Lucas, the boy who had been Hannah's friend, before she and Skyler had even started dating. Quote, the shock and heartbreak of her murder has been made so much harder by the fact that the young man was welcomed into our home.

Lucas had visited their home, eaten dinner with the family and played video games with Hannah. Quote, the most dangerous monster is the one that comes disguised as a friend. Janet went on to say, you set her up to be alone, you ushered her to her death. Janet said she felt pity for Skyler but not for Lucas because he'd never shown any remorse or regret. Hannah's stepfather Wade spoke about how he was the one who found Hannah and how he couldn't forget trying to resuscitate her. He described his grief at her final moments as ever present and unbearable. He spoke about how terrifying it must have been for Hannah. Quote, the pain, the confusion, terror, shock from being stabbed, gasping for air with no one there for her, no one to comfort her, no one to reassure her, no one to hold her.

She died alone and scared. The impact statement from Hannah's father Jeff and stepmother Laurie described the pain they felt as excruciating because they can't stop thinking about Hannah. Quote, the physical pain she endured being stabbed repeatedly and the horror she went through in her last moments on earth alone with no one to help her or defend her against these two monsters. They talked about how Jeff would never get to walk his daughter down the aisle or hear her say she's having a baby. A cousin of Hannah's father Jeff looked at Lucas directly and said she wondered why he never told anyone or called 911. She told him that he betrayed Hannah in the worst way possible. Quote, you've assisted in robbing our entire family of watching a bright and beautiful teenager grow up to be an amazing woman. She told Lucas that what he has done is unforgivable.

Quote, you did nothing as her blood flowed and her life faded. While Lucas had been observed to show little emotion this far, at this point he took off his glasses and appeared to let out a sob before wiping his eyes. Crown prosecutor Chris White observed that the emotion was a little more raw than it was after Skyler's hearing. Quote, this isn't a jilted boyfriend, this is the trusted friend that spent time in their house. After the victim impact statements, the defence presented their case. Lucas took to the stand speaking about his dysfunctional family and upbringing and how he had to become the family provider. He then spoke about his relationship with Skyler and involvement in Hannah's murder. He spoke of Skyler in glowing terms, describing him as hilarious to be around and like family.

Lucas highly valued their friendship. He said that Skyler was heartbroken when Hannah broke up with him and then detailed Skyler's growing obsession with Hannah. When she started a new relationship, Skyler was jealous and occasionally stated that he wanted to hurt someone but didn't specify who. Lucas said that he never tried to discourage Skyler from his obsessive thoughts. He said he thought Skyler was just blowing off steam and would eventually move on. Lucas' testimony about what happened the day of Hannah's murder is generally the same as Skyler's story but there were some differences and some inconsistencies. As you'll recall, Skyler had testified that Lucas did not try to persuade him to go through with his plan and if he did, Skyler was too focused to pay attention. Additionally, you'll remember that Lucas had told one of the psychologists that he had not tried to intervene because he didn't have his morals that day.

But on the stand, Lucas testified that he did try to persuade Skyler not to go through with his plan which he maintained was just to hurt Hannah, not kill her. He also testified that he thought Skyler wanted to hurt Hannah's boyfriend, not her, even though their text messages said the opposite. Lucas said that he did go into the house after Skyler but he didn't know why and he was certain that he left his own knife in the truck. As you'll recall, Skyler said he saw it in Lucas' hand during the attack and then when he looked back again, he'd put it away. As for Skyler's testimony that Lucas may have been holding down Hannah's legs, Lucas denied that. He also denied seeing that Skyler had a knife, either in the truck or during the course of the murder. As you'll recall, he said that when he witnessed Skyler in the bedroom with Hannah, he could only see Skyler's back and because he didn't see a knife, he thought Skyler was just hurting Hannah with his fist, not stabbing her. Lucas testified that after the murder, he told his girlfriend Veronica, there's going to be one less person going to school tomorrow.

He was described as being clear-spoken on the stand and wasn't observed to show any emotion. He said that since he'd been at the Paul Dojak Youth Centre, he had depression and had attempted suicide four to five times while he'd been there. But he said his mood had been improved by taking Ritalin for ADHD. As part of his testimony, he addressed Hannah's parents and said sorry, even though he knew it would never bring her back. So, in a nutshell, Lucas' story was that he didn't know that Skyler was going to actually kill Hannah. He went along with the plan thinking that Skyler was just letting off steam and was just going to hurt her or her boyfriend. Cross-examination started with the Crown Prosecutor grilling Lucas on all the inconsistencies in his story. Did he have a knife or didn't he? Did he see Skyler with a knife? Did he try to talk Skyler out of his plans or didn't he?

Did he really not know that Skyler was going to kill Hannah? And what about the boyfriend? In what was described as a dramatic twist, suddenly Lucas blurted out that he wanted to concede all of the Crown's points. Quote, at the time of the murder, I did wish death upon Hannah Leffler. This admission caught everyone by surprise, including his own defense lawyer, Hannah's mum Janet, broke into tears. The judge called a break and when everyone came back, Lucas then testified that yes, he knew Skyler was going to murder Hannah and he wanted to help him. He admitted he knew the target was Hannah, not her boyfriend. He admitted that he'd lied about trying to talk Skyler out of the attack. He said he wanted to be part of the attack and was looking forward to it. He admitted he had no reason to kill Hannah, but he wanted to help Skyler get her back for causing him months of anguish and pain. He said Skyler wanted him to wait in the truck, but he wanted to participate, so that's why he followed.

But when they got to the bedroom, he froze and waited by the bedroom door. He stood by this statement that he didn't know Skyler was stabbing Hannah and didn't see that he had a knife. He just thought Skyler was hurting her with his fists and worried that Skyler might turn on him next. Lucas admitted he'd lied over and over again to his psychologist and case workers and he'd told so many variations of the story that he mixed up the truth with lies. He also admitted that he'd faked a recent self-harm attempt so he would be transferred to another unit in the facility. The crown showed Lucas a selfie that had been taken an hour and a half after Hannah's murder. It was of him and Skyler holding up Skyler's bandaged arm. The photo had been deleted. The crown asked Lucas if the reason he had a change of heart was after hearing the victim impact statements and realizing the heartbreak and betrayal he'd caused. Lucas agreed.

The crown told the court that Lucas had committed perjury on the stand all this time. Quote, he lied through his teeth. He lied to everyone. The crown argued for an adult sentence saying it would balance risk, public safety and rehabilitation. The defense argued that Lucas's confession showed maturity, remorse and empathy. They wanted him to be sentenced as a youth, arguing that Lucas made bad choices but was remorseful. Two months later, everyone returned to court to hear the judge's sentencing decision. Justice Leanne Schwann described the crime as extreme violence perpetrated on an innocent young girl within the sanctuary of her own home for no apparent reason other than to avenge a jilted boyfriend's hurt feelings. She said that Lucas's willingness to participate and help his friend was apparent and so too was his failure to stop Skyler or even alert Hannah to prevent the attack from happening in the first place. She described Lucas's participation as being out of some strange attachment to Skyler.

She went on to say that the simple fact was this, Lucas expressed a desire to see Hannah dead even though he bore no animosity towards her. She said this increases his moral culpability for Hannah's death and he will have to deal with this fact for the rest of his life. But she added that murdering Hannah wasn't Lucas's idea and he didn't directly assist Skyler with the murder even though his testimony was inconsistent in several different areas he always maintained that he froze when it came to the actual murder. The judge spoke of his reduced level of planning and participation, the fact that he was not a key perpetrator, his age at the time of the offence, his lack of criminal record and his immaturity and vulnerability. Justice Schwann's finding was that Lucas would be sentenced as a youth, not an adult. She gave him what's known as an intensive rehabilitative custody and supervision sentence or IRCS. It's considered a therapeutic sentencing option designed for serious violent young offenders with mental health issues. The sentence would be split between the young offender centre, a forensic psychiatric hospital, a group home and then finally back into the community.

Lucas was sentenced to an additional four years in custody and three years in the community. Because he was sentenced as a youth, his real name still remains under a publication ban. As the court was adjourned, Lucas's brother stormed out of the courtroom shouting that his brother deserved an adult sentence. By all reports, Lucas was completely abandoned by his family. As for Hannah's family, they were incredibly disappointed and sobbed in court when the decision was announced. Lucas had lied repeatedly for the last few years including in court when on the stand and he was still given a short sentence. Hannah's family waited to see if the crown would appeal or if there would be charges for perjury. Nothing ever came. They feared that when Lucas is released, he'll be able to disappear, will be free to date whoever he wants and never has to tell anyone about his involvement in the crime.

The next year, 2018, Skyler appeared before the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal to argue that his adult sentence should be overturned. His legal team argued that the evidence was not properly weighted by the judge. The appeal was dismissed. Three months later, Lucas appeared in court for his mandatory annual sentencing review. As you'll recall, he was given a seven-year sentence with four of those years to be served in custody. The court heard that he wasn't ready to be back in the community. The judge said that while he'd made some changes and appeared to be remorseful, there was still a way to go. He was still struggling with his emotions, motivation and still had conflict with others. He had threatened self-harm. Additionally, the judge said that lack of parental support was also a major factor when considering changing his sentence. The judge noted that Lucas' parents were not in attendance. His sentence remained the same.

For Hannah's loved ones, the part of their lives that involved constant court dates and shocking new developments was finally over. In June of 2018, Janet and Wade finally listed their house for sale. But the house that Hannah loved so much now had a stigma attached to it. By law, the history of the house had to be disclosed to potential buyers, which made selling it difficult. Families who were supposed to attend showings abruptly cancelled and offers were withdrawn. Just a few months later though, they finally found a buyer. Janet and Wade packed up what they could in an SUV and small trailer and headed east to the Maritimes to start over again. Prince Edward Island is Wade's home province and it was their refuge during the previous years of heartbreak and devastation, so it was the natural choice to go for a fresh start.

They now split their time between a country home in the winter and a small cottage on the south shore in the summer. Janet told me that being in PEI has been incredibly beneficial to their mental health. Quote, the physical distance from Regina has also brought much needed peace, but thoughts of my daughter and her death continue to be at the forefront of my mind on a daily basis. Some days are still spent in a fog of grief. Hannah's legacy has lived on. Just a little over a month after her death, a baby girl was born to one of her closest friends. This little girl was given Hannah's name and would be the first of three little girls born so far since Hannah's death that also carry her name. Janet and Wade were asked to be the little girl's godparents and she now refers to them as Nana and Papa. Quote, it was very healing to have her come into our lives when she did. We loved having another little girl in the house to love and dot on. Her and her mother remain very important parts of our life.

Janet says that there are still challenging days, but through it all, she continues to find things to be grateful for. She told me, I'm grateful for my husband Wade, such an incredible source of strength, love and support. I wouldn't have made it without him. Grateful we had a place to live so far away from Regina where we still have family, friends and people who love us. And most of all, grateful I got to be Hannah's mother, even if I only had 16 years with her. Raising her and knowing her was the best part of my life and I live now knowing that half of me is missing and will be forever. In case you couldn't tell, Janet Leffler was with me every step of the way as I created these episodes. Janet, I loved working with you and getting to know you during this time and I can't thank you enough for all of your help and insights. I know that you felt lucky to have Hannah as your daughter, but she was also incredibly lucky to have you as her mum.

I wish all the best to you, Wade, Jeff, Laurie and the rest of Hannah's family and close friends as you continue to navigate the next stage of your lives. As adults, it can be hard enough to spot when we might be in an abusive relationship as it seems to happen so gradually. It's even harder for teenagers and I know this too because I've lived it. I know I have teenagers listening so for you, here's some red flags you can look for, whether for yourself or for a friend. If your partner tries to control your life, telling you how to dress, what to look like and who to be friends with, that's a red flag. Monitoring your social media accounts and your phone, getting angry if you don't respond to them instantly and acting jealous when you respond to other people. Trying to isolate you from friends and family, putting you down and calling you names, making you feel sad and doubting of yourself. Pressuring you to do things that you don't want to do, threatening you, these are all red flags.

If you're a parent, here's some things to look out for. A teenager in an abusive relationship may appear to be isolated, no longer spending time with the usual group of friends. If they're constantly checking their cell phone and getting upset when you ask them to turn it off, that's a red flag. And of course, physical signs of injury like unexplained scratches or bruises. Being a silent bystander can have deadly consequences, as we've seen in Hannah's story. For more help and resources, there's two websites, needhelpnow.ca or kidshelpphone.ca. Again, they'll be linked in the show notes. As you'll recall, Hannah loved the musician Rob Nash who dropped everything and postponed concerts to perform at her funeral.

The Rob Nash project is actually a registered Canadian charity and they're known for their immersive concert experiences that engage young people through the power of music and storytelling. The performances are free for schools to attend and address topics that are important to teens like depression, anxiety, self-harm, addiction, bullying and suicidal ideation, with comprehensive support provided to participating schools. I had no idea about any of this until this episode and I'm grateful that they do what they do and have touched the lives of so many young people, including Hannah. As a charity, they rely on donations to be able to continue to perform for free, so if you'd like to donate to the Rob Nash project, I've included a link in the show notes. Thanks for listening and thanks to Anya Best who helped me with the research for this episode. Alongside court documents, these episodes utilize the journalism of Sarah Mills for Regina 980 CJME, Jennifer Ackerman and Heather Polischuck for the Regina Leader Post, Adam Hunter and Bonnie Allen for CBC Saskatchewan, Jules Knox, Kim Smith and Christina Dayo for Global News and T. Jamie Fisher for CTV. Audio production was by We Talk of Dreams who also composed the theme song. The host of the Beyond Bizarre True Crime podcast voiced the disclaimer.

I'll see you soon with another Canadian true crime story, but for now, here's Transition by Rob Nash again to play us out. I'm used to No more chances to pray Though it's what I'm used to And I can't help but try to say I'm not gonna let you Go I can't call your name

Though it's what I'm used to It's what I'm used to It's what I used to do It's what I used to do It's what I'm used to I can't take the blame Though it's what I'm used to And I can't go to the place

Where we used to And I can't run the race Here without you And I can't call your name Though it's what I'm used to It's what I'm used to It's what I'm used to do It's what I'm used to do

It's what I'm used to do It's what I'm used to do It's what I'm used to do When I close my eyes to pray Just like we used to I can see your face Just like I used to And I can pace the pain

But I'll never lose you Cause I know one day I will see you So when I walk in the rain I will miss you So I will call your name Cause that's what I'm used to That's what I'm used to

So that's what I'm gonna do That's what I'm gonna do And that's what I'm gonna do That's what I'm gonna do Oh, that's what I'm gonna do Oh, that's what I'm gonna do So I will close my eyes to pray Just like we used to