A sa国际传媒-wide warrant has been issued for a Victoria man serving a seven-year sentence for a fatal stabbing on Hillside Avenue five years ago.
In February 2020, Daniel Creagh pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Joe Gauthier, a 35-year-old father of four, in March 2018. At the time, after credit for time spent in pre-trial custody, Creagh had four years left to serve on his seven-year sentence. The Correctional Service of sa国际传媒 did not say when Creagh was released from prison, citing privacy, but confirmed Friday that he is “currently unlawfully-at-large.”
It’s believed Creagh walked away from a halfway house on the Lower Mainland, where the warrant was issued. His statutory release has been suspended.
“We are committed to locating the offender and having him return to our custody. We are working closely with our police partners to this end,” said Jean-Paul Lorieau, regional manager of communications for the Correctional Service of sa国际传媒.
At Creagh’s sentencing hearing in May 2020, court heard that Creagh stabbed Gauthier through the heart, then kicked him in the head when he fell to the ground. Creagh was originally charged with second-degree murder.
The stabbing took place outside a house at 1485 Hillside Ave. after a party turned violent. Creagh, who was on a conditional sentence order for a violent offence, was breaching the conditions of that order by being out past his curfew and consuming drugs and alcohol. He was acting paranoid, court heart.
Creagh and Gauthier knew each other but weren’t friends. After the two went into the bathroom together, Gauthier came out and told his girlfriend that they’d had a heart-to-heart and he told Creagh he should get his life together for the sake of his two-year-old daughter.
Later, the two men got into a fight after Gauthier learned that Creagh was talking disrespectfully about him.
Gauthier punched Creagh in the face several times and Creagh fell to the ground. Other people became involved. Creagh grabbed a knife, and the two faced off against each other in the middle of the street. Gauthier backed up but Creagh advanced, stabbing Gauthier in the chest.
Justice Jennifer Power told Creagh that he had “an unenviable record of violence and if you come before the court again after you complete this sentence, you could find yourself spending the rest of your life in jail.”
