SaskatchewanA man convicted of manslaughter in a fatal 2020 stabbing on Mistawasis First Nation has been sentenced to seven years in prison. Victim’s family says sentence doesn’t reflect loss of 36-year-old Troy WarsonAishah Ashraf · CBC News · Posted: Dec 12, 2025 6:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Roy Lasas appeared at Prince Albert’s Court of King’s Bench for his sentencing hearing on Nov. 11, 2025. (Aishah Ashraf/CBC)A man convicted of manslaughter for a fatal stabbing on Mistawasis First Nation has been sentenced to seven years in prison.Roy Lasas appeared in Prince Albert’s Court of King’s Bench Thursday morning to be sentenced for the killing of Troy Watson.Mistawasis First Nation is located about 115 kilometres north of Saskatoon. It was home for Watson, 36, who was found dead outside of Lasas’s home.Shellbrook RCMP were called to the scene on the evening of Nov. 17, 2020. Local EMS pronounced Watson dead.Watson’s family attended the sentencing, but were not satisfied with the outcome. His cousin, Terrence Morin, expressed reservations about the judge’s decision.“It wasn’t good at all. It was unfair altogether when our family has to live with this for our lives and miss our cousin and brother and uncle,” he said. “For it to turn out the way it is now, everyone’s going to be really sad about this, and it’s not going to be happy for anybody.”Troy Watson’s cousin, Terrence Morin, says the two grew up together. (Aishah Ashraf/CBC)Lasas was 18 years old at the time of the stabbing and said he was acting in self-defence.He was initially charged with second-degree murder, but Justice Gary Meschishnick found him guilty of manslaughter.Court documents say Watson was highly intoxicated when he arrived at Lasas’s home. Witnesses testified Watson could become aggressive while under the influence and had been involved in confrontations earlier that day.Inside the home, Watson took a phone belonging to Lasas’s brother and refused to return it or leave, despite multiple requests.The situation escalated when Lasas — also intoxicated — grabbed a kitchen knife, stabbing Watson seven times. One wound penetrated Watson’s heart.Court documents reveal Watson ended up outside at the bottom of a set of stairs. Lasas kicked him and did not attempt to help. He later encouraged others to support a false account of the incident that put the blame on a third person.That narrative continued for more than a year until family members recanted under the threat of charges.In his decision, Justice Meschishnick wrote that Lasas was “a defender and not an aggressor until his emotions overtook his ability to control his actions.”He said Lasas acted out of fear and anger while defending his home and brother.The judge considered Lasas’s lack of criminal history, young age and a history of recent break-ins at the home when making his decision.With 2,151 days of remand credit, Lasas has roughly 404 days left to serve.His sentence also includes two years of probation. Conditions include a curfew, no alcohol or drugs, and mandatory counselling and anger-management programming.ABOUT THE AUTHORAishah Ashraf is a reporter with CBC Saskatchewan, based in Prince Albert. You can send story ideas and tips to aishah.ashraf@cbc.ca.
Man sentenced to 7 years for fatal 2020 stabbing on Mistawasis First Nation
