Winnipeg man sentenced to 12 years in 'brutal' slaying of victim whose body was burned

WARNING: This story contains disturbing details.

A Winnipeg man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for killing a 45-year-old man whose charred body was initially misidentified by police and a medical examiner.

Tyrus Mann, 25, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November in the April 2023 death of Ryan Cory Monias.

Manitoba Court of King's Bench Justice Richard Saull accepted a joint recommendation from Crown and defence lawyers for a 12-year sentence, minus time already served, in court Tuesday. 

Mann had initially been charged with second-degree murder in what Saull described as a "rather brutal, callous crime that was committed somewhat casually."

Court heard Mann met Monias at the Manwin Hotel on Main Street on April 26, where Mann incapacitated the victim before binding his body with straps and putting him into a sleeping bag. 

Video surveillance presented in court showed Mann transferred Monias's body into a laundry cart and wheeled him around the area while socializing with people on the street for nearly five hours, before eventually setting the body on fire around midnight.

It's not clear when Monias died, and a forensic pathologist was unable to determine the cause of death because of the extent of damage to his body, but there was no evidence of smoke inhalation in his lungs, court heard.

'Absolutely abhorrent': Crown

In the hours while he was rolling the cart in the area, Mann interacted with a group of people handing out pizza to people in need and was also passed by a pair of unsuspecting Winnipeg police officers in the Point Douglas area, court heard.

Eventually Mann set the body on fire in an empty Point Douglas parking lot on MacDonald Avenue and Gomez Street and fled the area.

A group of teenagers in a vehicle noticed the fire shortly after and couldn't quite "believe their eyes," said Crown attorney Boyd McGill. They quickly reported to police that they'd seen a burning body.

McGill called Mann's actions bizarre and unnerving.

"The way that he dealt with the body of another human being is absolutely abhorrent," the prosecutor said.

"Mr. Mann treated Mr. Monias like garbage."

WATCH | 12-year sentence for 2023 killing:

Man sentenced in death of 45-year-old whose burned body was found in Point Douglas in 2023

1 day ago

Duration 1:39

A Winnipeg man has been sentenced to 12 years in a federal prison in the death of a 45-year-old man whose charred body was initially misidentified as another man by police and a medical examiner.

Court heard little is known about the victim, except that he was living at the Manwin Hotel at the time, and was highly intoxicated and vulnerable.

Mann was already in custody on charges related to two stabbings in Winnipeg when police charged him in May 2023 in connection with Monias's death.

Multiple psychiatric conditions

Court heard Mann identifies as Métis, spent time in multiple foster homes while growing up in Sagkeeng First Nation and was first involved with the criminal justice system when he was 14.

"He does indicate there was a considerable amount of physical and sexual abuse in his childhood," defence lawyer Amanda Sansregret said, adding that he struggled with alcohol and drug abuse and had some gang involvement. 

Mann had also been diagnosed with multiple psychiatric conditions, including anti-social personality disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and an intellectual disability, court heard.

Saull called Mann's background unfortunate, and noted he will need a lot of help going forward. 

When asked whether he wanted to speak before the court, Mann declined, sitting in the prisoner's box with his arms crossed. None of his relatives or the victim's family were present in court for the sentencing. 

WATCH | Man identified as homicide victim showed up days later: family

Family told their loved one was killed — but he showed up alive 8 days later

1 year ago

Duration 3:31

A Winnipeg family is still reeling after they were told their loved one was the victim of a homicide — only to have him show up alive eight days later.

Police were initially unable to identify Monias's body, and made a plea to the public to help identify the victim in early May 2023.

They said the person was missing his upper teeth and would have undergone a previous medical facial procedure. 

Judy Panchenko previously told CBC that on May 18, 2023, police told her the victim was her grandson, Peter Panchenko.

But eight days later, he returned home alive. 

His family was told the medical examiner used dental records to identify him, but they said Peter had suffered severe damage to his face after an attack a few months earlier, including broken teeth.