Killer in 2007 cold case revived by DNA match sentenced to 12 years

Moments after her daughter’s killer was sentenced to 12 years in prison, Sandra Saunders’ anger could not be contained.

“You’re a f—king predator,” Saunders yelled at Kevin Queau as she exited court.

Queau sat in the prisoner’s box, seemingly unmoved by the outburst.

Queau, was set to stand trial early next year for second-degree murder in the April 2007 slaying of 24-year-old Crystal Saunders, but in a surprise plea bargain agreed last week to plead guilty to the lesser offence of manslaughter.

“I want to acknowledge that it may sometimes be difficult for family members and community members of a victim killed by homicide to understand how the loss of their loved one can be anything less than murder,” King’s Bench Justice Sadie Bond said before agreeing to the sentence jointly recommended by the Crown and defence.

“When the law is applied to certain factual circumstances such as here, a verdict of manslaughter is appropriate and it may have been the verdict reached had the case proceeded to trial,” Bond said. “This does not, in any way, diminish the loss and the harm that the family has suffered.”

Saunders was strangled. An RCMP officer found her naked and battered body April 19, 2007, in a water-filled ditch near St. Ambroise, north of Portage la Prairie. Saunders was a sex worker and struggled with addictions and homelessness.

“My daughter was a beautiful young lady who had dreams for her and her daughter,” Sandra Saunders wrote in a victim impact statement provided to court. “She was trying so hard to change her life… I want people to know Crystal wasn’t born a drug addict and prostitute. She lost her way but was trying to get back on track and you took that from me.”

Queau was arrested in 2024 following an RCMP “Mr. Big” sting in Vancouver.

In a “Mr. Big” sting, undercover officers posing as members of a criminal organization befriend the target and include him in their operations. Later, when investigators have the target’s confidence, they bait the hook, telling the target if they want to climb the criminal ladder, they need to confess all their past bad deeds.

Queau’s guilty plea came after months of pre-trial motions and hearings and testimony from undercover police officers assigned to the investigation.

Court heard Thursday ongoing disciplinary proceedings involving one of the key investigators threatened to delay or derail the upcoming trial.

Health issues involving a second investigator and his inability to testify at future hearings also played a role in the plea bargain, court was told.

Queau had no criminal record at the time Saunders was killed, but in 2015 was convicted in British Columbia of sexual assault and aggravated assault following separate attacks on two women he had met for sex. He was sentenced to five years in prison and his DNA was entered into the national databank.

Queau’s DNA proved a match to DNA collected from Saunders’ neck and fingernails.

“With this information, the investigation turned to Queau as the main suspect,” says an agreed statement of facts provided to court.

“Having exhausted traditional investigative techniques,” RCMP developed a “Mr. Big” sting targeting Queau.

Between Feb. 8, 2023, and Jan. 27, 2024, undercover officers staged 52 “scenarios,” posing as a criminal organization involved in money laundering and the transportation of illegal goods via a boat they operated in and around Vancouver.

“After initiating a relationship with Mr. Queau, they began involving him in the group’s operations, mainly as a deck hand,” says the agreed statement of facts.

In the final scenario, undercover officers told Queau they had learned he was under investigation by police in Manitoba for a murder in 2007. Queau was brought to the boat where the supposed head of the crime group told him an upcoming “job” might have to be cancelled and the captain of the boat, whom Queau was being groomed to replace, would be unable to retire.

An undercover officer asked Queau why police were investigating him and said the crime group could help him if he disclosed what he had done.

Queau told officers he had picked Saunders up in Winnipeg in his red Chevy Blazer and drove to an alley. Queau said they had begun to “fool around” when Saunders pulled out a knife and attempted to rob him.

Queau “placed both of his hands around her neck and choked Ms. Saunders for ‘two-to-three minutes’ causing her death.”

After killing Saunders, Queau drove toward Portage la Prairie, pulling over on the highway to strip Saunders of her clothing. Queau said he continued on to St. Ambroise, where he stopped at a campground, dragged her body from the car and “dumped her… in a ditch.”

Queau returned to his fraternity house in Winnipeg, where he burned Saunders’ clothing and purse in a fire pit. Queau drove to Edmonton the next day and washed his vehicle with bleach.

Bond agreed to recommend Queau serve his sentence in British Columbia, where he will be close to family.

Queau received credit for time served, reducing his remaining sentence to just over 8 ½ years.

dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca