'I want to f***ing kill Vanessa': James Smith inquest hears of warning signs before mass killing
CTV
Vanessa Burns wiped tears from her eyes as she described the feeling of defeat the last time she suffered physical abuse at the hands of her former partner, Myles Sanderson.
Warning: Some readers may find details in this story disturbing.
Vanessa Burns wiped tears from her eyes as she described the feeling of defeat the last time she suffered physical abuse at the hands of her former partner, Myles Sanderson.
“I felt so mad at myself,” she said. “You know, it was just shitty, because I was back in that situation I fought so hard to get out of.”
On Thursday, a coroner’s inquest heard raw and emotional testimony from Burns about her relationship with Myles. Burns gave a rare glimpse into the mind of the man police say killed 11 people and wounded 17 others in the communities of James Smith Cree Nation and Weldon in September 2022.
Burns said she met Myles over Christmas in 2007 and the two started dating about a month later.
“In the beginning he was charming, funny,” she said.
They would spend time walking around the village with her cousin, sometimes going fishing. They also liked to drink together, she said, especially before they had children together.
