The man who was found guilty of indignity to human remains in connection with the death of a Maple Ridge woman was sentenced Thursday in Port Coquitlam provincial court.
The sentencing comes more than six months after 43-year-old Jessica Cunningham’s remains were found in the Maple Ridge home.
The judge handed Mylie Andre Barron a 21-month sentence — minus credit for time served — meaning he will only serve an additional 343 days, followed by 18 months of probation.
We are also learning new details around Barron’s background and his relationship with the victim, 43-year-old Jessica Cunningham.
They had been in an intimate relationship for around 18 months before Cunningham’s death, living together in the home where her remains were later found.
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Barron is from Vancouver Island, where he and Cunningham were childhood friends.
Barron is Indigenous from his father’s side, and court was told he was sexually abused by his father at a young age. After the death of his mother, Barron struggled with severe substance abuse, grief, and multiple suicide attempts.
Cunningham was reported missing last July, but neighbours say she hadn’t been seen since June. In August, police entered their home and located her body, bound by duct tape, stuffed inside a garbage bag, and kept frozen inside a freezer.
Barron lied to both Cunningham’s family and the police about her whereabouts throughout the investigation.
After his arrest, he was kept in custody in segregation for safety reasons. He pleaded guilty to the indignity to human remains charge.
The judge says Barron has expressed his remorse and intent to rehabilitate.
Barron appeared by video Thursday. Although his face was not shown to the public, he did appear to cry as the judge was describing the state in which Cunningham’s body was found.
On Wednesday, a second-degree murder charge was also laid against Barron in this case. He has yet to stand trial for that charge.
His next appearance will be on March 26.