sara easton › deadmonton 2005 › deadmonton › edmonton

Sara Easton, 18, was shot to death October 22nd, 2005.

William Edward Wharry Jr., 21, was charged with second-degree murder, using a firearm during the commission of an offence and possession of a restricted weapon.

Wharry trial begins | latest update

They were on their way home.

Sara Easton and about ten of her friends were walking home at about a quarter-to-three in the morning after celebrating her 18th birthday at Orlando's 2 Pub in Edmonton's northwest.

They made it to the intersection of 124th Street and 134th Avenue when a late-model dark-coloured Nissan Maxima with tinted windows pulled up beside them.

The driver, a white male in his early twenties and wearing a baseball cap, rolled down his window and words were exchanged.

At one point Easton's boyfriend told the driver, who was unknown to the group, "Don't shoot her, shoot me."

The car then drove off and was half a block away when the driver pulled out a gun and fired three shots back at the partygoers.

One of the bullets struck Sara in the face. She was later pronounced dead upon arriving at hospital, becoming Edmonton's 31st victim of homicide in 2005.

Easton was popular among her friends and with customers at the Harvey's Restaurant inside the Home Depot on 137th Avenue where she worked after graduating from Archbishop O'Leary in June 2005.

Harvey's closed their restaurant on October 23rd out of respect for Easton. She had been promoted to supervisor just the week before.

Orlando's 2 Pub and Grill, where Sara and her friends had just come from, was the scene of a murder just some eight months earlier.

On February 6th, 2005 James Wilson died from stab wounds he suffered during a brawl on the Kensington-area watering hole's parking lot.

18-year-old Michael Shawn Ivany was charged with second-degree murder in Wilson's death. Ironically, Ivany was a friend of some in Easton's group.

On October 24th, 2005 William Edward Wharry Jr. surrendered himself to police.

It was reported that Wharry was "somewhat forthcoming" in his interview with homicide detectives, and it was also said he had turned himself in due to a guilty conscience.

However, police sources said that they had already identified him as a suspect through their normal investigations. Wharry was accompanied by his pastor, who turned in a .45 calibre handgun that may been used in Easton's murder.

Detectives said that Wharry, already known to police, was associated with other individuals who had a history with the Edmonton Police Service.

During his interviews, Wharry was reluctant to tell police where a black 1998 Nissan Maxima, bearing the Alberta licence plate EFF 903, was located. Police later found the vehicle, minus the plates, in an industrial area near 66 Street and 123 Avenue.

Wharry was charged with second-degree murder, using a firearm during the commission of an offence and possession of a restricted weapon.

Wharry appeared in court on December 21st, 2005 for a bail application hearing. The request was denied.

On July 4th, 2006 Wharry's preliminary trial began.

The courtroom where the trial was scheduled to be held was soon filled beyond capacity and proceedings were moved to a larger facility in the courthouse.

Wharry appeared in the prisoner’s docket wearing a black T-shirt under a white sport-jacket with white pants.

Crown prosecutor Wade Marke said he intended to call 12 witnesses to testify at the two day hearing.

Preliminary hearings are held to determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.

A publication ban was imposed, preventing the release of details of the proceedings.

The trial concluded the next day with Judge Michael Stevens-Guille ruling there was enough evidence to send Wharry to trial.

Wharry was ordered to remain in custody at the Edmonton Remand Centre.

On September 1st, 2006 a trial date for William Edward Wharry Jr.'s second-degree murder trial was set.

Wharry Jr., who remained in custody, was scheduled to go to trial April 2nd through 27th, 2007.

Jury selection began on March 29th, 2007 and was completed the next day. Eight men and four women were chosen.

On April 2nd, 2007 William Edward Wharry Jr.'s second-degree murder trial began.

For complete coverage, visit the Last Link William Edward Wharry Jr. trial page.

On May 5th, 2007 relatives and friends of Sara Easton joined those of Shane Rolston, Joshua Hunt, Dylan McGillis and Nina Courtepatte, all teenagers killed in the Edmonton area over the past two years, gathered in the basement of Sacred Heart Church.

Together they held the inaugural meeting of the Citizens' Rights Group, an organisation whose mandate is to lobby government for improvements to the criminal justice system.

For more about their efforts, visit the Why Edmonton? Citizens' Rights Group Forms page.

On April 25th, 2007 a verdict was reached in William Edward Wharry Jr.'s second-degree murder trial.

For complete coverage, visit the Last Link William Edward Wharry Jr. trial page.

On May 11th, 2007, the day William Edward Wharry Jr. was to hear a sentencing decision for his manslaughter conviction, the Crown prosecutor sought to introduce evidence about his past.

The move by the Crown caused Justice Sheila Greckol to hold a special hearing beginning June 25th, 2007.

For complete coverage, visit the Last Link William Edward Wharry Jr. trial page.

On June 29th, 2007, William Edward Wharry Jr. was sentenced to fourteen years in jail for manslaughter and two weapons charges.

Justice Sheila Greckol told Wharry he must serve half that time before he could apply for parole.

For complete coverage, visit the Last Link William Edward Wharry Jr. trial page.

Outtakes

During the course of story coverage, many images are recorded but not all are published. Some are redundant, some are of less than optimal quality and some do not fit editorial context.

For the interest of readers, these "outtakes" can be viewed here. Note: not all images have been reduced in file size – page may be slow in loading.

deadmonton 2005 - sara easton