All three men accused in the shooting death of an Alberta man have now been sentenced as of Wednesday, Aug. 31.

Ryan Watt of Vancouver, Joshua Fleurant of Prince George and Jared Jorgenson of Dawson Creek were arrested and charged with murder, accused of killing 20-year-old Michael Bonin and dumping his body on a forest service road off the Coquihalla Highway north of Hope in 2017.

On Wednesday, the last of the three men 鈥� Ryan Watt 鈥� was handed a sentence of 15 years in prison with credit for time served. According to B.C. Prosecution Service spokesperson Gordon Comer, Watt has also received a lifetime firearm prohibition and he must submit a sample of his DNA.

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In May 2021, Fleurant was sentenced to life in prison without no chance for parole for 20 years for second-degree murder. The following month, Jorgenson was sentenced to 252 days in prison with credit for time served. He is currently under a three-year probation order, a 10-year firearms prohibition and he was ordered to submit a sample of his DNA.

Fleurant and Watt were both initially facing first-degree murder charges, but Jorgenson鈥檚 charge was reduced to second-degree murder.

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A passer-by found Bonin鈥檚 body on Peers Creek Forest Service road north of Hope in April 2017. IHIT investigations concluded that all parties knew each other to varying degrees.

Bonin, who was from Rycroft, Alta., and Fleurant were charged in relation to the same car theft.

The murder trial for Watt, Fleurant and Jorgenson was delayed by several months due to scheduling issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

鈥� With files from Michael Rodriguez and Matthew Abrey

adam.louis@ ahobserver.com
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