(tense music)
(suspenseful music)
- [Narrator] An unidentified body
is found in Exshaw, Alberta, the same day Airdrie resident,
Ruth Degayo, is reported missing.
- Ruth is a good friend, reliable employee,
and a devoted mother to a son, Justin.
She's not the kind of woman who
would leave her son alone willingly.
- [Narrator] Could the case be connected
to the body in Exshaw.
Until the body is identified, the RCMP must treat it
like two separate cases.
(camera snapping)
- The building is scorched from the fire,
but only the body is burned.
- There is no evidence the murder happened here,
meaning this is the secondary crime scene.
- [Narrator] With no eyewitnesses, they have to rely
on a few small pieces of evidence.
- Experts will have to rely on dental records
or muscular tissue that remains on the body.
- [Narrator] While police try and find the person who could
do such a horrific act, just a car ride away,
at the same time, a drama is unfolded
that sets family and friends into
a panic trying to find their loved one.
It will take nearly a decade for this vicious killer
to be put behind bars and figure out just where
the loved one that has gone missing actually is.
(intense music)
- The unsolved ones, we have to stand up.
- And approach these cases, in a way, outside the box.
- Let the world know there's those out there
that did commit a murder, and there are people
that are comin' after you.
- There's just a lotta good people trying
to do the right thing.
- Because it's something that you have
to be passionate about.
- Solve this, bring some peace to the family at least.
Just doing my job.
(tense music) (gavel bangs)
- [Narrator] It's January 8th, 2006, in Exshaw, Alberta.
Fresh white snow covers the peaks of each mountain.
It's a quiet Sunday morning.
Four people brave the cold to play a game of paintball.
In order to escape the weather,
the group enters a large white shack.
Inside this abandoned building,
they make a shocking discovery.
The four paintballers discover a charred body.
Sergeant Garth Patterson of the Airdrie RCMP
and Corporal Patrick Webb of the RCMP K Division
are investigating the crime scene.
(suspenseful music)
- The fire is contained to the inside of the building.
The building is scorched from the fire,
but only the body is burned.
Police look at how the body was positioned.
- There is no evidence the murder happened here.
The position of the charred body suggest
that the victim didn't try to escape the fire.
This implies the victim died before the body was burned,
meaning this is the secondary crime scene.
The murder takes place at a different location,
known as the primary crime scene.
(suspenseful music continues)
Fire can severely alter characteristics of a body,
making it difficult to determine cause of death
or to identify a body.
This is a big challenge for forensic scientists.
- [Narrator] Immediately after the body is found in Exshaw,
the RCMP receives a missing person's report.
Duane Redelback, Ruth's common-law partner,
tells the authorities that Ruth is missing.
- This early period is when people's memories are
the sharpest and provide the best recollection of events.
As time passes, your chances of solving
the case fall dramatically.
- [Narrator] Sergeant Patterson and Corporal Webb learn
about the missing person's report in Airdrie.
Could this case be connected to the charred body in Exshaw?
Until the body is identified, the RCMP must treat it
as two separate cases.
Exshaw is a hamlet near the Bow River Valley.
It is 90 kilometers from downtown Calgary.
Airdrie, Ruth Degayo's residence,
is 110 kilometers northeast of Exshaw.
Airdrie, Alberta is a bedroom community facing
the Rocky Mountains to the west,
with plenty of prairie and parkland surrounding,
and lots of outdoor opportunity.
It's a great place to raise a family.
Ruth Degayo lives in Airdrie with her common-law partner,
Duane Redelback, and her two-year-old son, Justin.
Ruth immigrates to Canada from the Philippines in 1991.
She's the daughter of a fisherman and a farmer.
In 1993, she's hired to work at the records department
at the Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary.
Ruth is a generous person, she's a very reliable
and conscientious employee.
- Ruth grew up in a low-income household.
Once she gets a job, like many new immigrants to Canada,
she starts sending money home to her six siblings.
She wants them to get a higher education.
It's a difficult journey for immigrants
from the Philippines.
They're adapting to a new culture,
while at the same time feeling isolated from their families.
- Challenges are enormous for some
of the newcomers to the country.
There can be language barriers,
they might not understand immigration policies,
they might not fully understand their rights
in Canadian society.
- [Narrator] In 1999, Ruth meets
an electrician named Duane Redelback on the internet.
They begin dating and later move in together.
- Ruth wants to have a family of her own in Canada.
She's eager to have a stable home, a partner, and a child.
She dreams of becoming a mother.
- [Narrator] Ruth is also a devoted Catholic,
and eventually, with Duane, has a baby named Justin.
(soft music)
- Ruth loves Justin; they've a special bond.
She embraces motherhood.
(baby cooing)
- [Narrator] On January 8th, 2006,
Ruth's coworker, Jacqueline Paquette,
waits for Ruth to pick her up.
Ruth is never late.
She's getting nervous.
She contacts her other colleague, Marilyn Taves,
they're worried something has happened to her
and she may need assistance.
Ruth has always been a hardworking
and conscientious employee who would never
not just show up like this.
She also would always get back
to her friends when they call.
Something doesn't seem right.
It's just not like Ruth to do something like this.
Marilyn and Jacqueline know that something
is horribly wrong.
They both decide to look for Ruth in Airdrie and Calgary.
Meanwhile, Duane Redelback is cooperative with police.
He tells Sergeant Patterson and Corporal Webb
that he doesn't know what happened or why she would've left.
Sergeant Patterson and Corporal Webb informed Duane
that a body, earlier that day, has been found in Exshaw.
- When Ruth is reported missing, everyone is devastated.
She's a kind person and a beloved member
of the Airdrie community, and she's a loyal coworker.
Everyone feels a huge loss.
- [Narrator] Jacqueline and Marilyn search
for Ruth everywhere.
They come up empty-handed.
They decide to go to her house.
Duane tells them that he filed
a missing persons report that morning.
This has gone from bad to worse.
(concerned music)
They go to the RCMP station
to see if there's any information.
The RCMP officer asks them if Ruth would ever run away?
Jacqueline and Marilyn are both adamant
that Ruth would never leave her son, Justin.
This is completely out of character for her.
Marilyn explains that Ruth is in good spirits
before her disappearance.
A few days earlier, she spends the day with her family.
They have a great time together.
(suspenseful music)
Next, Sergeant Patterson and Corporal Webb
interview Justin's caregiver, Marla Volf.
Marla tells the officers that Ruth
would never leave her son, she is a very devoted mother.
She's also certain she would never take her own life.
Marla explains that Ruth would often stop
by Marla's home daycare to spend extra time with Justin
and help Marla with the other children.
Thelma Evangelista grew up with Ruth in the Philippines,
she is the last person to see Ruth alive
on January 7th, 2006.
(brooding music)
It is early January before Thelma has time
to drop off Christmas presents for the family.
Ruth is in a good mood before her disappearance.
She tells Thelma that she's going to the mall that night
with Duane and Justin.
- There's nothing unusual or out of the ordinary
about Ruth's behavior.
Thelma corroborates statements by Jacqueline,
Marilyn, and Marla.
All four women say this is out of character.
- [Narrator] Riza Fornier is Ruth's younger sister.
She works as a nurse in Florida.
The RCMP tells her that her sister is missing.
They also inform her of the unidentified body in Exshaw.
Riza has a bad feeling that the body is her sister, Ruth.
- The forensic experts will look for any personal items
or other forms of identification.
They will also look at height, weight, surgical scars,
tattoos, and dental records.
Unfortunately, they didn't have any identification on them,
experts will have to rely on dental records
or muscular tissue that remains on the body.
- [Narrator] Six weeks later, on February 16th, 2006,
the RCMP positively identified the charred body
as Ruth Degayo.
The case has shifted from a missing person's to a homicide.
- Duane Redelback breaks down in tears
and tells officers he just wish she would come home,
and he's having a hard time functioning at all.
He gives RCMP a list of suspects.
(suspenseful music)
- [Narrator] Duane Redelback tells Riza
that the body has been identified as Ruth.
He tells her that he has given the RCMP a list
of potential suspects.
- RCMP don't release their list of suspects to the public,
they don't wanna compromise the investigation.
- [Narrator] Riza, along with Ruth's friends,
have a different suspect in mind.
(soft music)
(suspenseful music)
Ruth Degayo starts a new life in Canada in 1991,
she's in a common-law relationship with Duane Redelback,
and a devoted mother to her two-year-old son, Justin.
- Ruth loves Justin; they've a special bond.
She spends all her spare time with him
and would do anything for him.
- [Narrator] On January 8th, 2006, Ruth Degayo
is found dead in Exshaw, Alberta.
The body is severely burned and unrecognizable.
- Everyone is devastated.
She's a kind person and a beloved member
of the Airdrie community.
Everyone feels a huge loss.
Duane Redelback breaks down in tears,
gives RCMP a list of suspects.
- [Narrator] Riza, along with Ruth's friends,
have a different suspect in mind.
In March 2003, Ruth is pregnant with Justin.
Duane is driving the car, and Ruth is in the passenger seat.
Duane and Ruth are rear-ended by another car.
Unfortunately, the fetus is permanently damaged.
- A car accident is a significant threat to a fetus
because the brain is vulnerable.
If there is a loss of oxygen or blood flow to the baby,
damage to the brain can happen rapidly.
Because of this, many babies are born
with permanent disabilities.
- [Narrator] One month later, Justin is born prematurely.
Shortly after Justin is born, he suffers a stroke.
Justin is diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
He has incomplete gestation and permanent loss
of his physical and mental capacities.
- Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage.
It affects muscle tone, posture, and movement.
A child in Justin's case will be behind
in developmental milestones and need additional support.
- [Narrator] Ruth is determined to give Justin
all the support and love that he deserves.
That's why Ruth's friends and family
know she would never leave him.
Investigators have many consistent statements
from family and friends that Ruth Degayo
would never leave her son voluntarily.
With no eyewitnesses, they have to rely
on a few small pieces of evidence.
Ruth's body is found 110 kilometers
from her home in Airdrie.
Could she have been kidnapped and then murdered?
- Police seize the physical evidence, photograph the scene,
and create possible scenarios of what could have happened.
They conduct interviews and find out if someone
was threatening the victim before the murder.
They must form a good hypothesis to build a strong case.
- [Narrator] When Duane Redelback receives the news
that Ruth is dead, he immediately points his finger
at other people.
- Duane tells the officers he doesn't know who did this,
but he provides them with a list of suspects.
He makes claims of unusual activity at the home.
- [Narrator] Several weeks before Ruth's death,
Duane claims that they have a number of suspicious calls.
- No one else mentions that Ruth received
suspicious phone calls or threats,
this is not common knowledge among her friends
and extended family.
(solemn music)
- [Narrator] Several months later, the RCMP do not
have enough evidence to make an arrest.
They decide to put out a Crime Stoppers reenactment video.
Unfortunately, this leads to a dead end.
- No one besides Duane mentions a suspicious person lurking
around Duane and Ruth's home.
The only person of interest that the police name publicly
is Duane Redelback.
- [Narrator] Duane Redelback is publicly named
as a person of interest.
He keeps insisting that he doesn't know
what happened to his partner.
- Intimate partner violence accounts for about 25%
of violent crimes in Canada.
Many of the women who are killed by their partner
are killed at home.
Police want to focus on the partner first
and hopefully rule out this possibility.
- [Narrator] The RCMP and Ruth's friends and family
all had their suspicions of Duane Redelback,
he quickly becomes the lead suspect.
On February 10th, 2006, six days before Ruth's body
is identified, RCMP officers pay a visit
to Redelback's home.
- The lights are on and Duane's vehicle
is parked out front, there are clear signs
that someone's at home, but no one's answering.
Friends report the same thing.
This is very outta character.
Duane is becoming more reluctant
to cooperate and meet with police.
- [Narrator] Sister Lucille Field
is Ruth's friend and confidant.
She tells the officers that before Ruth is murdered,
she's in a toxic relationship with Duane Redelback.
She is stuck in a cycle of domestic abuse,
yet she is still committed
to her relationship with Redelback.
Ruth would often run to
the next-door neighbor's house for help.
In November of 2004, Ruth leaves the abusive relationship
with Duane and escapes to a shelter for women.
(suspenseful music)
- Domestic abuse affects everyone differently.
It often occurs when one partner desires control
over the other.
There might be physical signs of abuse,
like bruises or marks on the body.
There are also emotional signs.
For example, if someone becomes more distant,
or anxious, or change in their mood.
These are some of the signs to look out for.
- [Narrator] Six months later, Ruth returns home.
She's determined to make her relationship work.
She has only been back with Duane
for eight months until her death.
- Sister Lucille labels it domestic abuse.
Ruth's sister, Riza, says she fears for her sister's safety.
Other friends say the relationship was rocky.
It's fair to say Ruth's life is in danger.
- [Narrator] However, with no physical evidence
connecting Duane to the murder scene, the case goes cold.
- Even with a documented case of domestic abuse,
the Crown still needs to prove beyond a reasonable doubt
that Duane committed the murder.
This means strong physical evidence or an eyewitness.
- [Narrator] Once again, a domestic abuse case
remains unsolved, and a vicious killer
is still on the loose.
(suspenseful music)
(soft music)
(suspenseful music)
Ruth Degayo is found dead in Exshaw, Alberta.
Her body is severely burned and unrecognizable.
- Although Ruth and Duane reconcile in May 2005,
friends and family still fear for her safety,
they know the relationship is rocky.
Riza Fornier, Ruth's sister, suspects Duane from day one.
The RCMP made Duane Redelback a person of interest.
There are no other strong suspects in the case.
- [Narrator] However, with no physical evidence
connecting Duane to the murder, no eyewitnesses,
or a confession, the case goes cold.
There is still no justice for Ruth Degayo.
Friends and family continue to remember Ruth
and honor her memory.
They all pray for justice.
Ruth's sister, Riza, always fears for her sister's safety.
She has a feeling that Duane was behind this.
Riza accuses Duane multiple times of killing her sister.
Every time she asks him, he doesn't deny it.
- There's a lotta strong, circumstantial evidence pointing
at Duane Redelback.
He's the strongest suspect RCMP have in the case.
- [Narrator] Duane continues to drop Justin off
at Marla Volf's home.
Marla hopes Duane is innocent for the sake
of Justin's safety.
- Ruth's family and friends are losing hope
that this case will be solved.
They don't want her to be forgotten.
They want justice for their friend, mother, sister.
- [Narrator] Unfortunately, the case does go cold.
Several years pass with no progress.
Ruth's loved ones still have faith
that there will be justice.
However, it will take a fresh set of eyes
to crack this case.
In 2015, Inspector Stacey Talbot
of the RCMP Historical Homicide Unit
is assigned to Ruth's case.
Inspector Talbot knows this case is complicated
and challenging, but she's determined to solve it.
There is no DNA evidence found near the body,
no weapon, or sign of anyone suspicious at the crime scene.
In 2006, Duane Redelback provides officers
with a list of potential suspects.
This list never materializes into anything.
The RCMP only publicly named Duane as a person of interest.
He also claims that
the couple receives numerous suspicious calls,
yet this tip doesn't lead anywhere.
The RCMP also issue a Crime Stopper's reenactment video,
but it is unsuccessful in solving the murder.
As the investigation continues,
Duane Redelback is less cooperative with the police.
- Ruth is caught in a cycle of domestic abuse with Duane.
Friends and family fear he's violent.
All signs are pointing to Duane Redelback.
- [Narrator] Ruth leaves Duane in November 2004.
She has only been back with him for less
than eight months before her death.
- Women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner
than any other person.
When someone is stuck in a cycle of abuse,
they're often unable to leave completely.
- Ruth is incredibly important to a lotta people.
Ruth's family want justice, they want answers.
Riza Fornier, Ruth's sister, states...
- [Narrator] "Ruth taught me to be brave.
My family will suffer this loss and pain
for the rest of our lives.
Only a heart so dark, so ruthless, so evil could do that."
If Inspector Talbot wants to catch Duane Redelback,
she must get creative.
(soft music)
(tense music)
Ruth Degayo's body is found in Exshaw on January 8th, 2006.
- Everyone is devastated.
She's a kind person and a beloved member
of the Airdrie community.
Everyone feels a huge loss.
- [Narrator] Riza accuses Redelback numerous times
of killing her sister.
She has a feeling that he is behind this.
- Ruth is caught in a cycle of domestic abuse with Duane.
Friends and family fear he's violent.
- [Narrator] Ruth would often run
to the neighbor's house for help.
- It's fair to say Ruth's life is in danger.
All signs are pointing to Duane Redelback.
- [Narrator] In November 2004,
Ruth and Justin leave Duane Redelback,
staying in a women's shelter.
In May 2005, Ruth moves back in with Redelback.
(suspenseful music)
Investigators have a strong suspicion
that Redelback is the murderer.
However, there is no physical evidence
or eyewitnesses connecting him to the crime.
- In order to catch this killer,
Inspector Talbot and her team get creative.
They initiate a sting operation,
something known as a Mr. Big operation.
- A Mr. Big operation is a technique used
to seek a confession from the suspect in a crime.
The officers will create a series
of fictitious circumstances and work very hard
to establish a relationship, and gain the trust,
and befriend the suspect.
(solemn music)
The officers need to uncover details that connect
the suspect to the crime, and they need to hear details
that only the killer would know.
- Often, operations like this require officers
to be available for extended periods of time.
When a call comes, they need to be able to answer.
Answering a phone call in the middle of the night
can be simple, but operations like this
can be complicated and require lots of resources.
- [Narrator] Redelback is an electrician,
so the RCMP decide to create a fake job for him.
The officers are looking to exact a confession
from this person, and to do that,
they first need to establish trust.
And they also have to have some sort of carrot,
so they will put situations to the suspect
whereby there will be a financial gain,
they can join a part of a gang, an organized crime group,
if they confess to a crime, because we need to know
what their past is.
- [Narrator] Redelback accepts the position.
- It can take months or even years to elicit
that confession or a piece of information
that can solve a case.
(suspenseful music)
It's a simple fact that bringing people
to justice can be very costly at times.
- [Narrator] The biggest risk with Mr. Big operation
is that it can lead to a false confession,
that can then lead to a wrongful conviction.
Officers must be very careful to get a confession
that is admissible in court.
The RCMP create 40 scenarios to build trust with Redelback.
Each scenario brings them a step closer to a confession.
- The undercover officers work very hard to build
that relationship with the suspect.
They learn about the suspect.
They need to create scenarios that that person,
that individual will respond to.
Eventually, the RCMP want to orchestrate a scenario whereby
the suspect is gonna ask for our help.
They either want to advance in the organization
or some other reward, and they need our help to do that.
But to do that, the suspect needs
to disclose their dark past, they need to tell us
about an offense they've committed in the past.
And once you've had that conversation,
it's documented meticulously.
- That's why Mr. Big operations,
while often costly and controversial,
are so vital to solving a case.
- [Narrator] The RCMP spent a significant amount of time
and resources on the case, carefully setting up Redelback
in the Mr. Big operation.
Meetings, conversations, phone calls, jobs
are all arranged to make Redelback feel comfortable
in who he's dealing with.
All of which takes time and resources.
It can be costly.
In August of 2015, finding justice for the victim,
Ruth Degayo, is priority.
And the entire Mr. Big operation finally pays off
when Redelback opens up to officers in a bar.
Redelback is feeling confident that he can open up
to those around him.
As the undercover officers have built a strong rapport,
Redelback is finally ready to talk
about his deceased wife and her murder.
On the night of January 7th, 2006,
Ruth wants to go to the mall,
but Redelback wants to meet a friend for a drink.
The argument is very heated, Redelback is furious.
He starts choking Ruth...
(suspenseful music)
Until she falls limp.
He ties a rope around her neck
and holds his hand over her mouth until she stops breathing.
Redelback ties up her arms and legs
and places her body inside a garbage bag.
Then he places the garbage bag inside a suitcase.
(suspenseful music continues)
Redelback places the suitcase in the trunk,
and then brings gasoline, which will be used
to burn the body later.
He leaves their son, Justin, home alone.
Redelback meets his friend for a drink,
leaving Ruth's dead body in the trunk of the car.
Once Redelback leaves the bar, he returns home
to check in on Justin.
(suspenseful music)
Then, Redelback drives for over an hour to Exshaw,
the body still in the trunk.
Once Redelback arrives in Exshaw,
he decides to place Ruth's body
in an abandoned white shack.
(suspenseful music continues)
He pours gasoline on the body.
(suspenseful music continues) (gasoline trickling)
And lights it on fire.
Redelback decides to cover his tracks.
Once he is home, he gets rid of his shoes and tires.
Redelback tells the undercover officers
that the flames were at least 30 feet high.
RCMP finally have a confession.
Duane Redelback finally admits
to killing his wife, Ruth Degayo.
- A judge has to look at the reliability of the confession.
Does the evidence connect with the confession?
Does it describe details only the killer would know?
If the confession checks these boxes,
the judge will accept it.
- Duane never fully explains or justifies his actions.
- The mindset of a murderer can be buried.
Some can be methodical and calculating,
while others act on rage or emotion,
giving little thought to what they're doing.
While Redelback attempted to dispose of Ruth's body
in a way that she wouldn't be recognized,
he ultimately failed.
The authorities, with a little bit of time,
could identify her.
The gasoline fire ultimately didn't hide the identity.
Given time and forensic tools,
it was still a horrible desecration,
compounding the tragedy.
(tense music)
- Duane never explains why he put the body
in the white shack.
We will never know all the details.
- [Narrator] The RCMP finally have their confession.
(soft music)
(suspenseful music)
Ruth Degayo starts a new life in Canada in 1991.
She's in a common-law relationship with Duane Redelback
and a devoted mother to her two-year-old son, Justin.
- Ruth loves Justin; they've a special bond.
She spends all her spare time with him
and would do anything for him.
- [Narrator] On January 8th, 2006, Ruth Degayo
is found dead in Exshaw, Alberta.
Her body is severely burned and unrecognizable.
- Everyone is devastated.
She's a kind person and a beloved member
of the Airdrie community, everyone feels a huge loss.
Duane Redelback breaks down in tears.
He gives RCMP a list of suspects.
- [Narrator] Ruth's sister, Riza,
knows something is terribly wrong.
There was previous violence in the home
at the hands of Duane Redelback.
And Riza accuses him multiple times of killing her sister.
- Although Ruth and Duane reconcile in May 2005,
friends and family still fear for her safety,
they know the relationship is rocky.
The RCMP made Duane Redelback a person of interest.
There are no other strong suspects in the case.
- [Narrator] However, there is no physical evidence
or eyewitnesses connecting him to the crime.
The RCMP has spent years on the case,
suspecting that Redelback is the killer,
so they set up a Mr. Big operation in hopes
that he will finally let the truth slip.
After months of the operation,
Redelback is finally confident
that he can trust those around him.
Redelback is finally ready to talk about his deceased wife
and her murder.
Duane Redelback admits to killing his wife, Ruth Degayo.
The RCMP finally have their confession.
- A judge has to look at the reliability of the confession.
Does the evidence connect with the confession?
Does it describe details only the killer would know?
If the confession checks these boxes,
the judge will accept it.
- [Narrator] On September 11th, 2015,
the RCMP finally arrest Duane Redelback.
He's charged with second-degree murder
and indecency to a human body.
(tense music)
- Everyone is relieved when Wayne Redelback is arrested.
They didn't think this day would come.
A huge weight is lifted.
- We don't know why Duane took Ruth's body
to the shack and Exshaw.
The strongest theory is that he hopes the body
will be burned beyond recognition and never identified.
The body is dumped far away from their home,
so perhaps police wouldn't connect the murder with Ruth.
That way, Ruth's disappearance will always remain a mystery
and he won't be implicated.
- [Narrator] Duane Redelback makes his first appearance
on September 14th at the Calgary Provincial Court.
- Crown Attorney Jim Sawa brings a confession into evidence.
He tells Judge Mike Dinkel that the charges
are second-degree murder and indecency to a human body.
The Crown recommends a life sentence for Redelback.
Redelback's attorneys, Balfour Der and Gillian Williamson,
recommend a lighter sentence for a first-time offender.
- [Narrator] The case is adjourned until October.
In August of 2016, Duane Redelback's defense attorney tries
to have Duane released.
Duane is a first-time offender,
she hopes the court will give him leniency.
Duane Redelback may be a first-time offender,
but his crime is so horrendous he poses a threat to society.
The court denies Redelback's release;
he is to remain in jail.
On February 23rd, 2017, the Crown attorney
and Redelback's defense reach a plea agreement.
It states that Duane Redelback
pleads guilty to manslaughter.
This reduces his sentence from a life sentence
to 15 years plus credit for time served.
The judge accepts the joined agreement.
- Second-degree murder is planned or deliberate.
The Crown attorney has to prove that Mr. Redelback intended
to kill Ruth Degayo in 2006.
However, manslaughter, under the Canadian Criminal Code,
can be an act committed under the heat of passion.
The Crown would have an easier chance of proving
that this was an accidental death
rather than a deliberate act of murder.
- [Narrator] Riza Fornier reads her victim impact statement.
Riza addresses the court and Duane Redelback directly.
She states, "This is the moment that we've been waiting
for after almost 11 years, praying day and night,
months after months, years after years
for this day to come."
- Duane Redelback commits a brutally violent
and senseless crime.
He also moves Ruth's body and burns it,
which makes it difficult to identify her
and determine a cause of death.
He prevents her friends and family from having any closure.
More importantly, he robs his own son of his mother.
- [Narrator] The judge speaks to the court.
She states that Redelback must serve at least half
of his sentence before he can be eligible for parole.
(soft music) (air whooshing)
- If Duane Redelback is found guilty of first-degree murder,
he would face a life sentence.
He would eventually be eligible for parole,
but since this is a domestic violence case,
it would have taken a long time.
- [Narrator] Ruth Degayo, like so many other immigrants
to Canada, was just trying to make a better life
for herself, as well as being a loving and caring mother
for her son, Justin.
Duane Redelback was part of that life until
that relationship took a very dark turn.
(soft music continues)
Ruth was unable to escape domestic abuse,
but the efforts by investigators, at the very least,
brought Redelback to justice.
- Officers are human too.
Whether responding to a domestic abuse situation
or even a crime scene involving murder,
it still affects us personally.
Ruth was a mother and a friend,
she didn't deserve to be abused and murdered.
So, when tragic situations like the murder
of Ruth Degayo occur, it's imperative that a message
is sent and justice is served.
That's why Mr. Big operations,
while often costly and controversial,
are so vital to solving a case.
(soft music continues)
- [Narrator] Duane Redelback is now serving
his 15-year sentence in an Alberta jail.
Justin is now 19 and living between
the Philippines and Florida with Riza.
If it hadn't been for Inspector Stacey Talbot
and her dedicated team at the historical homicide unit,
using a Mr. Big scenario,
the case would never have been solved.
A step forward for all victims of domestic abuse
and intimate partner crimes across Canada.
(suspenseful music)