Dean Penney, the individual found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the disappearance of his estranged wife, Jennifer Hillier-Penney in 2016, is set to receive a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 25 years in a Corner Brook courtroom on Friday. The sentencing hearing for Penney is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Although the sentence is mandatory, the hearing will provide an opportunity for Hillier-Penney’s family to present victim impact statements detailing the impact of the murder and disappearance of their loved one. Hillier-Penney was last seen on November 30, 2016, vanishing from the residence she shared with Penney and their two daughters.
Throughout the trial, Penney maintained his innocence, but the jury viewed videos of him confessing twice to undercover police officers posing as a criminal organization in a Mr. Big sting operation. Penney claimed he was coerced by the organization during the four-year operation and stated that his confessions were a result of telling the fake crime boss what he wanted to hear.
Despite Penney’s defense, the jury returned a guilty verdict after five days of deliberation. The Crown argued that Penney’s motive stemmed from jealousy following his wife’s departure, asserting that his actions leading up to the murder indicated a premeditated and deliberate act.
The trial, lasting eight weeks, featured compelling testimony from undercover officers, including one who developed a close relationship with Penney over the course of the operation. Known as Vic, the officer expressed hope that the investigation would clear Penney’s name, a hope that was not realized. In his confessions, Penney described pushing Hillier-Penney down the stairs in the garage, causing her to strike her head on a gun safe. In a subsequent confession, he admitted to bludgeoning her to death while she was unconscious on the floor.
Penney disclosed that he disposed of the body by wrapping it and discarding it in the ocean near his cabin. Despite ongoing search efforts, no results have been found.