Supreme Court dismisses appeal of Dillon Whitehawk in Bitternose killing

Dillon Whitehawk's mugshot. (Supplied: Court of King's Bench)

The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed Dillon Whitehawk’s appeal in the 2020 murder of Keesha Bitternose.

As a result, Whitehawk’s second-degree murder conviction stands.

Following the court’s ruling on May 21, Whitehawk has exhausted all avenues of appeal.

• Keesha Bitternose died from ‘multiple injuries’ of sharp and blunt force trauma: forensic pathologist

“We are all of the view to dismiss the appeal, substantially for the reasons of the majority of the Court of Appeal. Therefore, the appeal is dismissed,” said Chief Justice Richard Wagner on behalf of the court.

Whitehawk was acquitted of first-degree murder in December 2022 but was instead convicted of second-degree murder. Whitehawk appealed this decision at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal, but it was upheld in October 2025.

Although it was dismissed, the dissenting opinion of one justice allowed Whitehawk to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

Bitternose’s body was found at a home in the 1500 block of Cameron Street on Jan. 5, 2020.

She died as a result of multiple injuries, including sharp and blunt force trauma, blood loss, a collapsed lung and a possible gun shot wound.

Bitternose’s body was found with more than 100 wounds.

Her injuries were so numerous that a forensic pathologist stated in her testimony that she could not pinpoint the exact one that caused her death.

During the initial trial, it was heard that the home in question was a “gang house” frequented by members of the Indian Mafia street gang, which included Bitternose, Whitehawk and several other witnesses.

Further court evidence indicated the killing came as a result of infighting and a power struggle between Indian Mafia members.

In April 2023, Justice Janet McMurtry said the death happened during “a night of drinking and drug use” which led to the brutal killing, calling it a “ferocious, impulsive attack on Keesha Bitternose.”

Bitternose was a mother of four from George Gordon First Nation. According to her family, she had recently completed her certificate in business administration and had aspirations of becoming a social worker.

Earlier this year, Whitehawk was found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2019 killing of Keenan Toto – but found not guilty in the death of Jordan Denton.

Toto and Denton were killed in separate drive by shootings in late 2019.

With files from Allison Bamford and David Prisciak