Saskatoon man pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of his wife

Man charged in wife's death goes to court WATCH: A Saskatoon man charged in the death of his wife appeared in court on the charges.

Derek Thomas Caron pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of his wife, 44-year-old Jessica Caron, on Tuesday in Saskatoon.

Caron, 43, was initially charged with second-degree murder following the discovery of his wife's body in a ditch near Range Road 3062 in the early hours of February 7, 2023.

Crystal Rose Lafond, 37, was also charged in connection with the case, accused of helping Caron escape after the alleged killing.

In Saskatoon Provincial Court on Tuesday, Caron pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

This isn’t Caron’s first involvement with the justice system.

In 1999, Caron was driving a stolen car through downtown Saskatoon, speeding away from police. He ran a red light and crashed into a vehicle, killing a couple from Rosetown, Sask.

Caron was handed a seven-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to criminal negligence causing death.

During his sentencing for the fatal crash, Caron said he regretted his actions and planned to turn his life around.