Regina man found guilty of second-degree murder in 2020 killing

A 28-year-old Regina man has been convicted of second-degree murder in connection with Regina’s first murder of 2020.

Dillon Whitehawk initially was charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Keesha Bitternose in early January 2020.

Whitehawk pleaded not guilty to the charge and chose to be tried by judge alone. That trial began in September, and closing arguments were heard in early November.

On Tuesday, according to court documents, Justice Janet McMurtry found Whitehawk guilty of the lesser included offence of second-degree murder.

The Crown and defence are to make sentencing submissions on Feb. 28.

Whitehawk was one of three people charged with first-degree murder in connection with Bitternose’s death.

A woman pleaded guilty to manslaughter in September and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Another man pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November of 2021 and was given an 18-year prison sentence.

Bitternose, a 29-year-old mother of four, was found dead in a house in the 1500 block of Cameron Street on Jan. 5, 2020.

In April, Whitehawk was found guilty on two charges of first-degree murder in relation to the shooting deaths of Keenan Toto and Jordan Denton in Regina in late 2019.

Whitehawk was sentenced in June to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years on those charges.