Woman involved in attempted murder case awaits sentencing decision

Jason G. Antonio - For the MJ Independent

A Moose Jaw woman connected to an attempted murder situation from last summer will soon learn whether she will be sentenced to federal jail or serve probation in the community.

Meagan Windover, 30, appeared in Moose Jaw Provincial Court recently, where she pleaded guilty — which Judge David Chow accepted — to acting as an accessory after the fact to the commission of an indictable offence, specifically, the attempted murder of a man on July 14, 2025, in the parking lot of the Moose Jaw Inn.

The Crown initially charged her with attempted murder, but stayed that offence and replaced it with being an accessory.

Windover’s accomplice, a 17-year-old male, pleaded guilty to attempted murder in October 2025 and was sentenced in January to three years in a rehabilitation centre to receive intensive treatment for his psychological illnesses.

During the contested sentencing hearing in early March, the Crown suggested that Windover spend three years in a federal penitentiary, while the defence suggested a sentence of time served and two years of probation.

Judge Chow reserved his sentencing decision until Wednesday, March 25.

Crown’s arguments

Crown prosecutor Rob Parker reviewed the facts, saying police attended to the motel after receiving a call from the victim, who identified the 17-year-old male as the shooter.

The teen shot the victim in the upper right shoulder and the back of the head with a shotgun, so police took the victim’s shirt and bunnyhug as evidence, Parker said. Police also acquired security footage from the motel and photos from a witness.

Police identified Windover from the motel video, where they saw her holding the shotgun, before the teen took it and jumped into the black SUV, with the two speeding off, the Crown prosecutor continued.

Parker noted that his office downgraded Windover’s charge of attempted murder — still “a very serious offence” — to being an accessory after the fact because she handled the firearm after the shooting. He noted that she acknowledged this role when speaking to the police; she initially denied any involvement, but confessed after seeing photographic evidence.

Windover told police that her male accomplice took the gun and stored it in a hidden compartment in the SUV, Parker said. She also told police she didn’t know where the gun went afterward, but later admitted to throwing it into a ditch near Rouleau.

The Crown noted that Windover played “the primary or sole role” in disposing of the firearm “in a particularly dangerous manner,” since it was somewhere in a ditch and still dangerous to the public. Moreover, she hid evidence from the police.

Parker also said that Windover stored the firearm at home at one point, but was unsure how it arrived at the motel. He indicated that the Crown didn’t have enough evidence to determine whether she transported it there.

The Crown noted that the woman acquired a “lengthy” criminal record between 2014 and 2020, with a five-year gap until 2025. Of her 35 previous convictions, 23 were for failing to comply with court orders. Therefore, he said the court “should have considerable concern” about giving her a community-based sentence.

A pre-sentence report said Windover had substance abuse issues, including smoking crystal meth daily, Parker said. Although she couldn’t remember using that drug on July 14, he suggested that she “was probably” smoking it that day.

Windover has been on remand at Pine Grove Correctional Centre since her arrest, where she has been taking programming and medication.

The Crown believed that a penitentiary sentence for this offence was required for Windover based on her criminal record and history of failing to comply with court orders, said Parker.

He added that federal jail is necessary to promote denunciation and deterrence since there should be a penalty for someone who removes a weapon from a crime scene.

Defence’s arguments

Meanwhile, defence lawyer Drew Hitchcock said Windover took police to where she thought the gun was, but they were unable to find it. He noted that no one can say with certainty whether she was being truthful or whether she led police “on a wild goose chase.”

Continuing, Hitchcock said Windover experienced a difficult childhood, including having an alcoholic mother. Furthermore, she began using cocaine after her stepfather’s death, while she “really went downhill” and began using crystal meth after losing custody of her children.

“You can kind of see how, as a human being, how the hope of happiness is sucked out, and you turn to drugs to deal with that loss,” he remarked, noting that a person’s “moral culpability” is lessened because of a difficult upbringing.

Hitchcock said Windover felt responsible for her male accomplice since he had lived with her, so at the crime scene, she found herself in a “moral dilemma” since she saw the firearm and wanted to help and protect him.

“She cared about him deeply and had to make a moral choice in a very difficult circumstance,” the defence lawyer stated, noting she viewed the teen as a little brother.

If the judge released Windover on probation, she could move to Saskatoon for treatment and not be exposed to “triggers” in Moose Jaw, Hitchcock said.

Hitchcock suggested that Windover was less likely to reoffend now compared to 11 years ago, since she desired to regain custody of her children, which was more motivation than just getting out of jail. He added that her time on remand was enough deterrence and sent a message to the community.

Offender’s comments

In a statement, Windover said she accepted responsibility for her actions and did not offer any excuses or seek to blame others for the choices she made.

“I understand the gravity of my conduct and the impact it had on the community,” she remarked. “My remorse is genuine and profound, and I deeply regret the harm I have caused.”

Continuing, she said since her arrest, she had engaged in “intense self-reflection” about the path she was on, while she had taken many court-approved programs. She has also spoken with a drug counsellor to “understand the root cause” of her behaviour and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

“These steps are not for show. They are a fundamental shift in my perspective to becoming a responsible, law-abiding member of society,” said Windover. “… Earning back trust will be … (a long) process, but I am fully prepared to dedicate myself to it.

“I am committed to demonstrating through my actions, not just by words, that I am capable of change and that I can live a life that is productive and free of criminal behaviour,” she added.

Judge Chow pointed out that she had “a tremendous number” of past failure-to-comply convictions and wondered how he could trust that she would abide by probation conditions.

Windover replied that in the past, she didn’t want to be sober, didn’t want to change and didn’t have children. However, her outlook on life has changed since then.