Man imprisoned for fatally stabbing his brother outside Carmichael Outreach in Regina

A stabbing death that happened outside Carmichael Outreach in Regina earlier this year was a "terrible tragedy" in which a man killed his older brother.

Now Dennis Trevor Hotomanie is serving a 13-year prison sentence, after pleading guilty in provincial court last week to manslaughter for killing Terrance Delvin Hotomanie on Feb. 18, 2025. Both were from Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation, east of Regina, but were living in the city.

Defence lawyer Tony Orlowksi said in court that his client, who goes by his second name Trevor, was high on crystal meth when he attacked his brother. Orlowksi said their sister told him Trevor, 40, and Terrance, 46, were "usually quite close" and Terrance "was the only person that talked to Trevor."

"It's something that's really a terrible, terrible tragedy in their lives, even for Trevor, because he's lost — even though he's responsible for it — he's lost his brother," Orlowksi said.

On the evening of Feb. 18, Terrance had gone to the house where Trevor was staying and they ended up arguing about "past grievances," Crown prosecutor Adam Breker said in court.

After Terrance left, Trevor grabbed a large kitchen knife and followed him to the nearby Carmichael Outreach, a charity in Regina's Heritage neighbourhood.

What happened there was captured on video surveillance. Trevor walked up to the doors and poked at the glass window with the knife, Breker said. Terrance came outside and Trevor took a swipe at him before backing away, and the two started yelling at each other.

Then Terrance threw his cup of hot coffee in Trevor's face, and Trevor attacked. He stabbed Terrance four times, including one wound that reached a depth of 21.5 centimetres, puncturing Terrance's left lung and aorta, Breker said. Terrance died from blood loss.

Police arrested Trevor at a nearby Burger King just minutes later. He confessed to killing his brother, Breker said.

Orlowksi said Trevor was the "baby of the family," but had a lot of difficulties when he was young. Both of his parents were residential school survivors, Orlowksi said, and he and his siblings grew up around alcohol abuse.

After Trevor's father died when he was about 13, he spent time in and out of foster care and was separated from his siblings. Things became worse when he began using meth; he started thinking people were watching him and was unable to sleep.

"There was a number of factors," that led up to the stabbing, Orlowksi said.

Trevor has two children, but they were given up for adoption by their mother without his involvement, and he doesn't have contact with them, his lawyer said.

"He has very little family support, and even less now, unfortunately."

Trevor was initially charged with first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which Breker noted is a crime that covers a broad range of circumstances — from near-accident to near-murder. Sentences can range from a community-based term to life in prison.

This case was closer to near-murder, Breker said, "given the nature of the violence."

The Crown and defence jointly recommended a sentence of 14 years and 55 days; minus credit for time on remand, that amounts to 13 years from the date of his sentencing on Nov. 26.

Judge Kevin Lang agreed the sentence was appropriate and imposed it.