A man accused in the death of a young mother from Mission, British Columbia, has been found guilty of manslaughter nearly eight years after the crime. Though the victim’s family sees the verdict as a step toward justice, the man remains free on bail until sentencing.
Gary Losch, now in his 60s, was originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Chelsey Gauthier. On Tuesday, a judge in Abbotsford downgraded the charge, convicting him instead of manslaughter and interfering with a dead body.
Justice Dev Dley explained that while Losch did try to hide Gauthier’s body and lied to the police, those actions did not prove he meant to kill her.
Gauthier’s father, Ray, said the ruling brings some relief. “This is still a victory. It’s been proven that he did it. We just want the court to give him the maximum sentence,” he said.
Gauthier vanished on July 27, 2017, after meeting Losch at a McDonald’s. The two then went to a remote forested area near Mission. According to testimony, she had agreed to help him with a marijuana grow operation.
She never returned home.
Her brother, Jeremiah, shared how much she meant to him. “She was a good person, a good soul, and my best friend,” he said.
The trial, which started in February, revealed that Gauthier likely died from a single stab wound to the back. Her body was found during a second police search near the illegal grow site. She was wrapped in a sheet and buried in a shallow grave. DNA belonging to Losch was found on a corner of the sheet.
Ray remembered his daughter as joyful and lighthearted. “When she died, a part of me died. She had such an incredible sense of humor. She was goofy and fun.”
Despite the guilty verdict, Losch has not been taken into custody and is still out on bail.
“That’s the part I don’t understand. It shocks me. It’s something that needs to change in the justice system,” said Ray.
Jeremiah added that he worries Losch could flee. “Honestly, I think he’s a flight risk, and that scares me,” he said.
Closing arguments in the judge-only trial ended last month. Losch did not testify in court. His defense team argued that there was no solid proof that he and Gauthier were alone at the site the entire time. They also claimed it was unclear how his DNA got on the sheet.
The sentencing hearing for Losch is scheduled for August 18.
Gauthier’s family hopes the judge will consider the lasting pain they’ve endured. They continue to remember her not only as a victim, but as a loving daughter, sister, and mother.
Ray and Jeremiah both stressed the need for stronger measures to prevent accused killers from staying free after conviction. For them, justice still feels incomplete until Losch is behind bars.
