Two women plead guilty to manslaughter

Two Thunder Bay women pleaded guilty this afternoon to killing 30-year-old Verna Patricia Sturgeon.

The victim was beaten to death on Sept. 3, 2010 at an Arthur Street hotel.

Thunder Bay Police Service officers initially charged the two suspects, 28-year-old Michelle Morris, and 34-year-old Joanne Vivier, with first-degree murder.

Sturgeon's body was found in a room at the hotel, and the coroner determined she died from blunt force trauma.

A four-day preliminary hearing was held this week at the Ontario Court of Justice in Thunder Bay, and on Thursday, the Crown agreed to reduce the charges to manslaughter.

Both Vivier and Morris pleaded guilty to the new charge before Justice Joyce Pelletier, thereby averting a trial in the case.

Members of Sturgeon's family were in the courtroom to hear the suspects plead, and they'll now be writing victim impact statements in preparation for a sentencing hearing.

That hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16.