Wife of man who tried to fake his own death guilty of mischief

A woman who lied about her husband being missing has pleaded guilty to public mischief and obstruction charges.

Michelle Ross first reported her husband, John Malcolm Ross, missing on Aug. 15, 2016. At the time, RCMP said he was last seen the day before at a home in Tompkins, Sask. His vehicle was found parked in the Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park near Kyle.

Searchers spent days scouring the provincial park and the area around Lake Diefenbaker. Eventually, police got a tip John was alive and in hiding. Court records showed he pleaded guilty in Winnipeg in April 2016 to sexual interference. He was set to be sentenced on Sept. 8 before disappearing.

The couple was arrested on Oct. 6, 2016. Both were charged with public mischief and obstructing police. 

On Monday, Ross pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a six-month conditional sentence. For four months, she’ll be under a 24-hour curfew that requires her to stay in her house. She’s also been ordered to pay $10,000 restitution to the Search and Rescue Association of Volunteers to repay the costs of their search.