THUNDER BAY - Ashley Potson pleaded guilty in connection to the 2019 deadly beating of Tanya Andy, 37. She will remain in custody and return to court in December to set a date for her sentencing.
Potson and her co-accused, Patrick Menson were initially jointly charged with second-degree murder after Andy’s body was found on a bike path in the County Fair area in March 2019. Following a preliminary hearing in July, the Crown filed a new indictment against Potson and Menson jointly charging them with one count of manslaughter.
Potson appeared in court by audio on Tuesday, Oct. 13, where she pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter.
Crown counsel Rob Kozak read out an agreed statement of facts on the events that took place on March 18 and 19, 2019.
Court heard Andy and Potson had been friends for several years after meeting in Fort Frances. On March 18, 2019, Patrick Menson messaged Andy to meet him and Potson at the Waverley Branch Public Library to drink alcohol.
Shortly after, the three walked to Hillcrest Park where they shared a bottle of alcohol and consumed crack cocaine. Potson stated they all left the park together and walked to the LCBO on Dawson Road beside the Landmark Inn.
Video surveillance showed Menson and Andy entering the LCBO shortly before 8:30 p.m. on March 18, 2019, and then left to walk towards the pathway behind the Landmark Inn shortly afterwards.
Court heard Andy had been staying at a women’s shelter and at 10:30 p.m. she was reported to have missed curfew.
At 12:40 a.m. on March 19, 2019, a passerby was walking by the footpath that runs by the Landmark Inn and came across the body of a woman lying face down on a path who appeared to have been severely beaten. The woman was identified as Andy.
A police officer attended the scene shortly before 1 a.m. and observed the woman had severe facial swelling and that her vital signs were absent. The officer also noticed a significant amount of blood around her head, blood spatter on a snowbank and a blood-like substance a short distance away from where Andy was lying. The officer also noted she only had one shoe on. Despite CPR being performed by both police and paramedics, her vital signs remained absent, court heard.
Andy was pronounced dead shortly before 2 a.m.
An autopsy on Andy determined she died from blunt force trauma to her head and neck area. She also had acute alcohol, methadone and cocaine intoxication.
Kozak said the autopsy stated although these substances were not fatal on their own, they likely contributed to her inability to survive the blunt force trauma she sustained.
The pathologist also determined the blunt force trauma was not immediately fatal and there was likely a couple of hours where Andy was still alive following her head injuries.
Court also heard Andy had a blood-like substance under her nails and forensic identification determined this was Ashley Potson’s DNA.
A search of the scene by police revealed a broken glass drug pipe and headphones approximately 100-metres from where Andy’s body was found, court heard. Both of these items were tested for DNA and both Menson and Potson’s DNA were found on them.
Police also located a white reusable shopping bag that had contents belonging to Potson including documents, needles and drug paraphernalia.
Court heard after the deadly beating, Menson and Potson walked to Potson’s brother’s residence on Secord Street. Two individuals who lived at this location recall Menson and Potson returning late that evening.
Potson told one of the individuals at the residence she had been in a fight where she strangled a woman. Another woman who lived at the residence also recalled Potson taking a shower late at night and rolling her clothes into a tight ball.
In June 2019, one of the women called police after she discovered clothing from the basement area where a bed been located containing blood. These items were seized by police.
Acording to Potson, the three —Andy, Menson and herself — had walked to the pathway behind the Landmark Inn where they drank and consumed drugs and alcohol and at some point, Andy began to make theft accusations against Potson which started a heated argument.
Potson stated Andy grabbed her by the hair in a violent manner and she responded by striking her several times with a closed fist until she fell to the ground. Potson continued to strike Andy until Menson intervened and told her to grab her belongings and leave, court heard. Due to the dark lighting in the area, Potson stated she was unable to assess the injuries she had inflicted on Andy before leaving.
A pre-sentence report and a Gladue report has been ordered for Potson. She is scheduled to return to court in December to set a date for sentencing.
Following Potson's guilty plea on Tuesday, her co-accused Menson will be released on a $1,000 non-deposit release order with conditions not to communicate with Potson, or three of Andy’s family members. He also cannot possess any weapons and must report to police by phone within 24 hours of his release.
The second-degree murder charge against both Potson and Menson were withdrawn at the request of the Crown.
