Second guilty plea in historical Saskatoon homicide of Morgan Doucette

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A second person has admitted their involvement in a stabbing death that happened 15 years ago in Saskatoon’s Riversdale neighbourhood.

On Thursday in Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench, Dexter Saul Laplante, 34, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to murder in the death of 33-year-old father Morgan Doucette on Nov. 16, 2009.

Laplante was 19 years old at the time of Doucette’s death. A publication ban prevents the reporting of the facts until the final co-accused man either goes to trial, or pleads guilty.

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Laplante, Michael Wayne Gamble, and Alvin Patrick Junior Naistus were charged in 2023. Laplante was initially charged with second-degree murder.

Police did not say what led to charges being laid 15 years later.

At the time of the arrests, Saskatoon police said Doucette was found with life-threatening stab wounds in a home in the 400 block of Avenue H South.

He died shortly after.

Reading her victim impact statement in court, Dionne Doucette said her brother Morgan “was a character” who loved to cook for his family, laugh and joke around.

Dionne said she was due to give birth on the day he was killed, and had to miss his funeral because of health complications. When her son was born 11 days later, she named him Morgan.

She said the love her brother showed his seven children was a love she’d never seen before in a man — “pure and unconditional.” He put his educational goal of becoming a social worker on hold so he could work and provide for them, court heard.

Someone had to care for his kids when he was killed, his mother Margaret wrote in her statement. She said it was difficult for her to raise her grandkids at her age, and with little money.

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When Margaret read her statement at Naistus’s provincial court sentencing hearing in October 2024, she said she was unwell. Court heard she died in January.

For years, she said she prayed for someone to come forward about what happened to her son.

Photos of Doucette were set up across from Laplante in the courtroom. He steadily watched each family member as they read their statements before giving his own statement.

Laplante apologized as he touched his heart, saying he was young and not in control of his actions at the time.

Defence lawyer Erin Little said Laplante doesn’t recall much from that night 15 years ago, due to the passage of time and intoxication, but accepts responsibility for his role.

She said he wants to take parenting programs when he gets out of jail so he can get custody of his children.

“To be honest, I wish you well. I know my brother would forgive you. He just wouldn’t want to see his family hurting,” Dionne told Laplante.

Crown prosecutor Michael Pilon said while Laplante’s criminal record includes 10 prior convictions for carrying a weapon, he has no prior convictions for violence.

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Justice Mona Dovell accepted a joint submission from the Crown and defence for a three-year prison term. After applying an enhanced remand credit for the time he spent in pretrial custody since 2023, Laplante has already served his sentence and will be released.

Naistus, 33, received an 18-year sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter. He was originally charged with first-degree murder.

Gamble remains charged with first-degree murder. His jury trial is currently scheduled for September.

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