Bodechon found guilty of 2021 Regina murder, sentenced to life

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As the verdict was delivered, Thomas Louis Bodechon retained his neutral expression. 

“Guilty of first-degree murder,” the foreperson said Thursday morning in Regina’s Court of King’s Bench.  

The words carried clearly across the large courtroom. The convicted man’s gaze fell from the jury to the floor — the only sign that he heard them. 

The finding that Bodechon planned and carried out the Oct. 18, 2021 killing of 29-year-old Kade Luke Neapetung meant a mandatory life sentence. 

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The gallery was silent. There was no shouting. No tears. 

Defence lawyer Bhavan Jaggi said he would make no comment with regard to sentence.  Prosecutor David Belanger said no one who was affected by Neapetung’s death wished to enter a victim impact statement.

That left Justice Beverly Klatt with little else to do but impose the sentence, which offers no chance of parole for 25 years. 

Three-week trial

The jury began its deliberation Wednesday afternoon, after hearing a trial that began March 24. 

Over the course of some three weeks, the jury heard conflicting narratives with significant overlap regarding what transpired before and after a load of shotgun pellets left Neapetung dead on the floor of his Regina home.

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It heard that Bodechon had come to Regina from Alberta, meeting up with his girlfriend, his “queen” Keleisha Jackson. It heard Jackson had been living part time at the Angus Street home of Neapetung, who had feelings for her that were not reciprocated. She, Bodechon and another man had gone to collect some of her belongings on Oct. 16, 2021, after her relationship with Neapetung soured, the jury heard.

The Crown’s theory involved hostility between Bodechon and Neapetung. The Crown argued Bodechon was the one who’d stabbed Neapetung and later killed him.

Neapetung’s uncle, now deceased, was present when the shooting occurred and told investigators the man who shot his nephew was the same who’d stabbed him. He heard the man accuse his nephew of calling the police about the stabbing before the shot, he told police.

Crown witnesses stated Bodechon showed them a gun and sought ammunition, announcing he planned to kill Neapetung before returning to their home and admitting he’d done so.

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Bodechon, who was arrested Oct. 25, 2021 from a burning garage in Saskatoon, initially denied to police that he was the shooter. But he later told them he had shot Neapetung by accident after he tripped, having gone to the deceased man’s house to confront him.

On the stand, Bodechon provided an alternate version of events, again denying he’d done the killing. The gun he’d been seen with belonged to another man, to whom he’d returned it before the shooting occurred. That man later visited Saskatoon, revealing to him details about how he’d killed Neapetung, before leaving the weapon in the garage where it was found following Bodechon’s arrest.

He lied to the police when he said he’d done the killing, providing them with details relayed to him by the true shooter.

Jaggi disputed the Crown theory, telling jurors his client was an innocent man and arguing there wasn’t sufficient evidence to prove he’d done the killing.

Bodechon to appeal: defence lawyer

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The defence lawyer said Thursday both he and his client respected the jury’s decision. However, he said Bodechon still maintains his innocence.

“He will use his right to appeal,” his defence lawyer said.

Prosecutor David Belanger said he and his colleague, prosecutor Nathanial Scipioni, were glad the jury saw the evidence the way the Crown did.

The Regina Police Service Major Crimes Unit did a fantastic job with the case, Belanger said.

“This verdict is a tribute to their investigation,” he said, noting he believes justice was done.

With regard to those who loved Neapetung not offering comment, the prosecutor said he respects that many victims choose to endure their grief away from court proceedings.

“All through this trial, we thought of them,” he said.

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Editor’s note: The Leader-Post published extensive coverage of Bodechon’s trial, in feature-length instalments. Read them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

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