Sentencing in the 2023 stabbing death of Theresa Agawa took place Monday afternoon in Sault Ste. Marie. Tyler Abbott, who had been accused of second-degree murder, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. Abbott was 25 when he stabbed Agawa on Aug. 20, 2023, near Queen Street West, leading to her death. On Monday, a number of factors led Justice Michael Varpio to accept a defence and Crown submission that had him plead guilty to the lesser charge. Abbott, who appeared virtually from the Algoma Remand and Treatment Centre, was sentenced to eight years in a penitentiary. Showed remorse Varpio agreed the sentence was appropriate given the stabbing itself and the impact on Agawa and her family. Abbott also showed remorse for what he had done, offered condolences to the family and said he didn’t mean to kill her. The stab wound that punctured Agawa’s small bowel was 1.5 by 0.5 centimetres and not immediately fatal, according to a pathologist. The victim denied exploratory surgery when first offered by a surgeon, dying roughly two weeks later. Abbott’s eight-year sentence will be served consecutively with a four-year aggravated assault charge from last December.
