Sentencing of Teen in Reese Stanzel Case

A teenager who admitted to killing 15-year-old Reese Stanzel in Perth, Ont., has received a 10-year sentence in custody and under supervision.

Stanzel was discovered dead in a forested area in October 2024.

The teen was only 16 at the time of her arrest, which means her identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. She pleaded guilty to first-degree murder last November.

She will serve six years in intensive rehabilitative custody followed by four years of custodial supervision within the community.

Reese Stanzel, 15, was found dead in a wooded area of Perth, Ont., on Oct. 25, 2024. The teen who pleaded guilty to murdering him was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in custody and under supervision. (Facebook)

In July, both the Crown and defense proposed a joint submission for a sentence of 10 years, which is the maximum for first-degree murder under the act.

The teen has already spent over 600 days in custody and will receive credit for one year served.

While Justice Brian Abrams imposed the maximum sentence, Stanzel’s mother, Candi Bartraw, said it offers little solace.

Bartraw mentioned she only learned during sentencing submissions in July that the Crown would not seek an adult sentence for the teen. Initially, they had indicated they would pursue an adult sentence but ultimately decided against it.

“Very unsatisfied,” Bartraw expressed Thursday as rain poured outside the Perth Courthouse. “I just – I don’t feel like I got him justice, the justice that he deserves.”

“I’m sorry, Reese,” she added. “All I have to say is, I’m sorry.”

Candi Bartraw, Reese Stanzel’s mother, said Thursday she was ‘very unsatisfied’ with Thursday’s sentencing decision. (Joe Tunney/CBC)

Judge’s remarks

During sentencing arguments, the Crown noted that recent Supreme Court of Canada rulings had altered how adult sentences are assessed. In July, Crown Michael Ventola stated while this case has serious circumstances with many aggravating factors, they chose not to pursue an adult sentence due to those changes.

“Those factors themselves are not relevant to rebutting the presumption of diminished moral blameworthiness by demonstrating developmental maturity of an adult at the time of the events,” Ventola explained back in July.

During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Abrams shared that throughout his 16 years on the bench he had never experienced a case that weighed so heavily on him.

Explaining what happened according to agreed facts from the case, Abrams stated that the offender believed Stanzel was involved with an 11-year-old. Determined to intervene against what she thought was abuse, she armed herself with a bat and a hunting knife before luring Stanzel into the woods.

A court-ordered forensic psychiatrist previously testified he diagnosed her with nine mental health disorders and indicated she poses a low risk for reoffending.

This Thursday though, Abrams questioned some aspects of that evaluation; noting certain behaviors displayed while incarcerated-including jokes about violence and plans for escape-made him reconsider.

“At a minimum,” he remarked “the incidents.. demonstrate that rehabilitation remains very much a work in progress.”

However factored into his decision were concerns about her lack of prior criminal history along with evidence showing bullying experiences and social isolation she’s faced as well as her demonstrated remorse through her guilty plea.

Abrams shared that he considered rejecting their joint proposal but ultimately chose to accept it instead.

This Thursday afternoon, the teenager addressed Stanzel’s family directly saying how sorry she was for what happened.

“It was not right , just or anything but evil,”she said.

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