Man gets five years for accidental shooting that killed ‘beautiful and bubbly’ woman

A Winnipeg man has been sentenced to five years in prison for accidentally shooting and killing his friend, Delany Nora Desmarais, while under the influence of methamphetamine in November 2022. Clinton Bignell, 51, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the tragic incident that occurred inside a William Avenue rooming house where he had been living for approximately a month.

Crown and defence lawyers reached a plea bargain that acknowledged significant challenges in building a strong case against Bignell. Bignell was not initially considered a suspect and was not arrested until May 2024. The court found no physical evidence linking Bignell to the room where Desmarais was killed, and multiple conflicting witness testimonies could have hindered the prosecution.

Bignell had consumed meth earlier in the morning before the incident, and when Desmarais asked him to send people home so he could go to the hospital, Bignell accidentally discharged the gun, causing her fatal neck wound. He immediately attempted to assist her and called for emergency services before fleeing the building. Desmarais, a mother of four, was described as a "beautiful and bubbly" individual who always sought to make friends.