Shingabis gets life

WARNING: Graphic content

The man convicted of murdering his 37-year-old-common-law girlfriend apologized to the victim’s mother before receiving a life sentence in court Monday.

Justice E.W. Stach sentenced Michael Shingabis, 31, to life in prison with no chance of parole for 14 years for the second-degree murder of Sybil Stoney. Shingabis also received five years for indignity to human remains, which will be served at the same time as his life sentence.

During sentencing Shingabis hanged his head and looked downward, remaining motionless as opposing council gave their submissions. His only words to the court were for Eslie Stoney, mother of deceased Sybil Stoney.

"I’m sorry I caused a lot of pain to Elsie," Shingabis said.
Before the sentencing, the court heard how Thunder Bay Police Service officers responded to a January 2009 call asking them to investigate a Bethune Street home by Elsie Stoney. The victim’s mother called police after she had not heard from her daughter for several weeks.

Elsie Stoney went to the south-side apartment herself earlier that afternoon to speak with her daughter but Shingabis had not allowed her in to the apartment. Shingabis told Elsie simply that Stoney was not in.

Elsie Stoney returned to the home with police officers. A landlord let them in after several knocks at the door went unanswered. Officers discovered Stoney under a pile of clothes in a state of decomposition.

After being sought as a person of interest, Shingabis called 911 from the ATAC building at Lakehead University the following morning. When police arrested him, Shingabis gave them what appeared to be a confession.

"I did something very bad," Shingabis told officers during his arrest. "I did something very bad. I killed my girlfriend. I punched her in the face, I put a pillow over her face."

The court heard that in January of 2009, Shingabis and Stoney had an argument. Shingabis began punching her in the head before putting a pillow over her face for more than 10 minutes, something he told the court he remembered seeing on a television program.

For the next eight days Shingabis continued sleeping with Stoney’s body. Shingabis later performed sexual intercourse with the remains after visiting a website about the practice, the court heard.

At the sentencing hearing Monday, defence Attorney George Joseph asked for 14 years for a chance of parole. Joseph praised Shingabis for pleading guilty to second-degree murder and indignity to human remains in February.

"By pleading guilty Mr. Shingabis is taking responsibility," Joseph said. "I like to say he is coming to you as a young offender but that isn’t true."

Shignabis’ history with the police ranged from assault to criminal harassment. His history with police also included a previous charge of assault causing bodily harm to Stoney.

Crown Attorney Dan Mitchell said he wasn’t convinced and said the previous charges showed Shignabis wasn’t taking any responsibility.

"I both agree and accept (the councils) submissions and I sentence you, Michael Shingabis, to life imprisonment," Justice Stach said. "(On the matter of indignity to human remains) I can conceive no greater indignity to a body than what was done to the corpse of Sybil Stoney."