Life sentence appeal dismissed for man guilty of Hay River homicides

The The N.W.T. Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal made by an N.W.T. man facing life in prison for murder.

Last year, Benedict Corrigal pleaded guilty to murdering his ex-girlfriend, Carol Buggins, and her new partner, Garfield McPherson, in a Hay River apartment in 2012.

Corrigal was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for 17 years.

He had appealed the sentence.

However, appearing in a Yellowknife courtroom on Tuesday morning, Corrigal seemed to be having second thoughts about moving forward with the appeal.

He said "after some thoughts and consideration of the families" of his victims, he had not filed any materials to accompany his appeal motion, nor hired a lawyer.

After speaking for little more than a minute, and calling his crimes "heinous," Corrigal sat back down.

The three appellate judges dismissed his appeal without hesitation.