Killer who strangled Edmonton woman, hid body in carpet sentenced to 10-1/2 years; defence says police errors led Crown to accept manslaughter plea

Telling him he must spend the rest of his life making amends, a judge sentenced a man who strangled a young Edmonton woman in a random attack to 10-1/2 years in prison.

Court of King’s Bench Justice Jody Fraser on Thursday passed sentence on 34-year-old Ryan Farrell, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to manslaughter for the brutal 2023 killing of Lauren Jarvis.

Court heard Farrell attacked Jarvis — a woman he did not know — at the four-plex where they both lived on April 2, 2023. He beat her with a walking cane, strangled her with a rope, then bound her body and hid it inside a carpet in her bedroom.

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No motive was offered for the crime, which Farrell’s defence lawyer said her client does not remember.

Farrell had initially been charged with second-degree murder. During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Farrell’s defence lawyer said the Crown accepted a plea to the lesser charge due to a Charter issue, which could have “gutted” the prosecution’s case.

Dozens of Jarvis’s loved ones attended court and gave victim impact statements. Fraser told them he had little option but to accept the joint sentencing submission from the Crown and defence.

“Lauren’s life was valuable to so many people,” the judge told them. “All your suffering has not gone unnoticed.” 

Turning to Farrell, who sat in the prisoner’s box in orange and black coveralls, he told him he owes society “a great debt.”

“You have a lot of making up to do for the rest of your life, sir,” he said.

Farrell declined an opportunity to address court.

Killer had just moved to Alberta for work

During submissions on Wednesday, defence lawyer Danielle Boisvert portrayed her client as a normal man who, during an uncharacteristic drug and alcohol binge, committed an act of horrific violence.

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Farrell was born in Halifax, one of five brothers. His upbringing was stable and unremarkable, and no one in the family had ever been in trouble with the law, Boisvert said. He attended Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and, in 2018, joined the Canadian Forces reserves.

Farrell’s life took a turn in 2019, when one of his brothers died by suicide. He was unemployed during COVID, stringing together the occasional art contract — including designing materials for the Halifax Rifles. His resume also includes stunt work in the East Coast film industry.

In 2023, Farrell’s dad — who had worked in the Alberta oilfield since 2005 — suggested he move west.

Farrell joined his father in February 2023, moving into his 10919 122 St. apartment one floor above Jarvis’ home. He planned to become an oilfield scaffolder, but, according to Boisvert, he was delayed in acquiring the union certifications.

While his dad was working up north in late March and early April, Farrell began a “weeklong bender,” abusing alcohol, Adderall and steroids he had acquired for bodybuilding, Boisvert said. Before this, his alcohol consumption was “average,” and Farrell had no history of substance abuse, Boisvert said.

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He has “little to no recollection” of killing Jarvis and does not know why he did, Boisvert said.

Farrell was arrested the day he killed Jarvis and has been in custody since. Despite the fact that he had been abusing drugs for a week, his father’s apartment was “extremely clean,” Boisvert said. Police found a garbage bag containing containers of Pine-Sol used to clean up Jarvis’ blood, as well as the broken walking cane he used to strike her. Police also found Jarvis’s IDs, which had been cut to pieces, as well as her laptop and a stained rope. 

Farrell was taken to the Edmonton Remand Centre, where he was housed in a unit with what he described as “schizophrenics, drunks, drug addicts and homeless people.” He was later assaulted by two inmates, likely over the fact that Farrell had been promoted to unit cleaner, Boisvert said. Crown and defence agreed to deduct half a year from Farrell’s overall sentence for the assault. 

More to come. 

jwakefield@postmedia.com

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