Man involved in fatal shooting in Faro, Yukon sentenced to life in prison and 25 years without parole

A man who carried out a fatal shooting in Faro, Yukon, three years ago has been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

Yukon Supreme Court Associate Justice Elizabeth Hughes sentenced Ralph Bernard Shaw in Whitehorse Thursday morning.

Shaw, 64 years old, pleaded guilty this week for first-degree murder for fatally shooting his ex-wife, 42-year-old Saengduan Khonchaiaphum, outside her home on Oct. 26, 2021.

The charge carries an automatic life sentence and a 25-year disqualification period.

Shaw also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for killing 73-year-old Patrick McCracken in the entryway of his home during the same shootout, as well as aggravated assault for wounding Honchayaphum’s new partner.

Second-degree murder also carries an automatic life sentence, but the period of parole ineligibility can range from 10 to 25 years.

Hughes gave Shaw 17 1/2 years of parole ineligibility for second-degree murder — less than the 25 years the Crown asked for but more than the 15 years the defense requested. She also sentenced Shaw to 10 years in prison for aggravated assault, which was the same sentence requested by the defense but four years less than the maximum allowed by law and sought by the Crown.

The sentences will be served concurrently, with the first-degree murder conviction to prevail.

Hughes described the killing of Honchayaphum as a “tragic and senseless death” and noted that McCracken was killed due to a “perceived neglect”. In laying out her reasons for her sentencing decision, Hughes listed a dozen aggravating factors in the case, including intimate partner violence, the murders occurring over a period of about 15 minutes, and that Shaw shot Honchayaphum’s partner multiple times and then chased him . Shaw also showed “complete indifference” to the safety of others when he fired into buildings throughout the city and caused serious injuries to both individuals and Farah as a whole, Hughes said.

The aggravating factors were mitigated somewhat by Shaw’s guilty plea, which saved witnesses from having to testify at trial, Hughes said. She said Shaw’s lack of a criminal record and various health problems also mitigate the situation, although to a much lesser extent.

More than 20 people packed the courtroom Thursday to make the decision. A number of people also watched the proceedings remotely via video link, including from Faro.

Shaw showed no visible reaction as Hughes read her decision or as he was subsequently escorted from the courtroom.

“I feel like justice has been served today.”

Speaking to CBC News after the verdict, McCracken’s wife Barb said she felt a sense of relief.

“I’m glad it’s over and (I’m) ready to come home,” she said, remembering her husband as a “great man” who was generous and always helped others.

“I feel that justice has been served today. I’m happy with the outcome of it all.”

Khonchaiphum’s longtime friend Kara Went also said she was “very relieved.”

“Our biggest fear was that (Shaw) would come back and hurt even more people in our community, so we feel a huge sense of relief that he will likely never get out of prison due to his age and health ” said Vent.

However, she also said that she was sad because Hongchaiphum had less than three months of “freedom” from Shaw before he killed her.

Shaw and Honchayaphum met while he was teaching in her home country of Thailand in the early 2000s. Vent helped Honchayaphum leave what she described as a highly restrictive and controlling relationship in early August 2021.

“I’d like it to be three years now when she’s free of this,” she said, describing Honchayaphum as “the most loving mother” and an “incredible friend” with a “really sly sense of humor.”

“She was just saying something under her breath and you were like, ‘Wow, Sang, where did you come up with that?’ – recalls Vent.

“And she always apologized for her English skills, but her English was fine and she was incredibly loving and kind.”

Vent, who traveled from Faro to Whitehorse to attend the hearing, spent most of her time in the courtroom gallery crocheting blankets.

She said she intends to donate them to Kaushee’s Place, a temporary shelter in Whitehorse for women, mixed-sex people and their children where Honchayaphum sought refuge after first leaving Shaw.

“I hope these blankets can be given to other women who have experienced domestic violence,” Vent said.

“It was nice to keep my hands busy while I was in court and do something nice, maybe for other women who just need to feel strong for the next step they take in their lives.”