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Trio apologizes to murder victim's family at end of sentencing hearing

With the family of the victim looking on, three men facing lengthy terms in prison for a drug-related murder expressed deep regret for their actions when given a chance to speak Tuesday during a sentencing hearing at the Prince George courthouse.
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With the family of the victim looking on, three men facing lengthy terms in prison for a drug-related murder expressed deep regret for their actions when given a chance to speak Tuesday during a sentencing hearing at the Prince George courthouse.

Found guilty of manslaughter in the Jan. 16, 2015 death of Jordan Taylor McLeod, Kurtis Sundman turned around in his prisoner's box and faced the family before reading a prepared statement.

"I am truly sorry for your loss, I am sorry for your pain and the anguish you must be going through," he said before turning back to B.C. Supreme Court Justice James Williams and acknowledged he has a debt to pay.

Sundman's brother, Darren, found guilty of second-degree murder, said there's not been a day that's gone by when he hasn't thought about his actions that night and called what happened a "living nightmare."

"I regret having a role in this stupid and horrible tragedy," he said.

Struggling to hold back sobs and tears, Martin, also found guilty of second-degree murder, apologized to both McLeod's family and his own and added he does not want to "put my onus" on the Sundmans for his actions.

Their addresses came at the end of a day and a half of submissions on sentencing. Williams will deliver his decisions on July 5.

Both Darren Sundman, 26, and Martin, 45, automatically face life in prison and Crown prosecution is seeking 13 to 17 years behind bars before they can apply for parole. For Kurtis Sundman, 29, Crown is seeking a sentence in the same range.

On Monday, Darren Sundman's lawyer, John Gustafson, submitted 10 to 12 years is more appropriate and made much of his client's troubled upbringing and a downward spiral into drug addiction.

The theme continued Tuesday when lawyer Brad Smith argued for seven to nine years on behalf of Kurtis Sundman, and lawyer Jim Heller urged 10 to 12 years before parole eligibility for Martin, and noted most inmates are not granted parole on their first try and must wait a further two years.

A mid-level drug dealer, McLeod, who was 24 at the time of his death, had been supplying product to the Sundmans to sell in the Vanderhoof area. But in an apparent falling out with the brothers, he started supplying another man, Tanner James, while also striking up a relationship with Darren Sundman's ex-girlfriend, Stacey Stevenson.

The trouble began to reach a boiling point when the brothers, accompanied by McLeod and Martin, drove a stolen pickup truck to the Saik'uz reserve south of Vanderhoof and initiated a confrontation with James that ended with a bullet being tossed into the home where he had been found.

The four then drove back to Darren Sundman's home in Vanderhoof, where they picked up Stevenson, who became a key witness during the trial, and headed to Prince George. By that time, each of the Sundmans was armed with a handgun Martin had a shotgun resting between his legs.

All three of McLeod's assailants were high on drugs, ranging from methamphetamine in the cases of the Sundmans to a "speedball" of heroin and cocaine for that of Martin.

While the trip was peaceful at the outset, the mood turned ugly with Darren Sundman hitting McLeod in the head with the butt of his gun as he sat behind him. With Kurtis Sundman behind the wheel, they passed through Prince George and sped along Highway 16, telling McLeod he had no choice but to jump out of the truck.

When Kurtis Sundman turned onto Upper Fraser Road and slowed down as a consequence, McLeod did jump out. The truck was pulled over and the three went after McLeod.

Williams found Darren Sundman shot McLeod once in the thigh and three times in the back before Martin came in with the shotgun and pulled the trigger twice. There was no evidence Kurtis Sundman fired his gun, Williams also found.

McLeod's body was then hauled into the back of the pickup truck and driven out to a logging road northwest of the city and dumped in the bush. About a month later, a man walking his dog found McLeod's body.

Defence lawyers described their clients as people who overcame difficult upbringings to become productive members of society, only to fall back into lives buried in substance abuse. All three have since taken steps to deal with their addictions, the court was told.

Heller described Martin as more of a follower than a true accomplice and argued he fired the shots out of fear of the Sundmans. In the time he's been in custody, Martin has enrolled in a methadone program and has become deeply religious, Heller told the court.

Heller also differed with the finding of the author of a pre-sentence report that Martin had only limited insight into his actions. Rather, he said Martin holds a "very profound sense of remorse for this."