Allecha Boyd: Samuel John Shephard sentenced to 27 years in jail
A judge has described the family of a woman shot dead on a rural dirt road as ‘damaged almost to the point of destruction’. Now the chef’s murderer has been sentenced in court.
The Wagga News
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Samuel John Shephard’s brutal murder of Wagga chef Allecha Boyd on a dirt road in Coolaman has been described as an “extremely grave example of the most serious offence against a human being known to criminal law”.
Justice Richard Button delivered those remarks today in Wagga Supreme Court, as he sentenced Shepard, 39, to a maximum of 27 years and seven months for shooting Ms Boyd “three or four times” in close range, killing her in 2017.
Shepard, who appeared in the dock today, pleaded guilty to the charge last year.
On August 10, 2017, Shephard used a pistol to shoot Ms Boyd multiple times on a dirt road in Coolamon after his lover confronted Ms Boyd about a break and enter at her home.
Her body was then taken deep into the Lester State Forest and buried in a shallow grave.
Ms Boyd, who is the cousin of AFL star Will Hoskin-Elliott, had initially arrived at Shephard’s home to purchase meth, but just a few hours later she found herself being driven about 5km to the outskirts of town before being callously gunned down.
Wagga Local Court heard Shephard’s lover Katie Barnett was jealous of Ms Boyd, noticing the pair together, and began following them in her car to a country road.
Barnett then began arguing with Ms Boyd about her home being broken into.
It was at that point Shephard, who had a pistol tucked behind his back in his waistband, pulled the pistol out and shot Ms Boyd.
Shephard then told Anthony Hagan, who was known as Emu, about what he had done and the pair drove her body 12km to the Lester State Forest, dug a grave and buried her there.
The pair then burnt the car they drove in.
Despite numerous police searches since 2017, her remains have not yet been found.
Today in court, Justice Button described the use of a pistol to kill someone as an execution that is “dismissive”
“This case is a very good example of how the consequences of the taking of a single life extended far, far beyond the loss of that person”.
“I heard three heartfelt victim impact statements during the Crown case on sentence,” he said.
“Unquestionably, the consequences of the loss of the deceased that day will be felt for many decades.”
Justice Button also said the family of Ms Boyd “has been severely damaged”.
“Damaged almost to the point of destruction,” he said.
“All, I infer, are unable to comprehend how or why this short life was snuffed out.
“As I have said, their pain is made worse by the inability to conduct a funeral with a respectful burial.
“Regrettably, I suspect that that form of closure will never be available.”
Shephard was also sentenced for drug supply offences.
Justice Button said Shepard was a “mid-level” supplier whose operations were not sophisticated and that there were no evidence of remorse.
During the sentencing, he sat with his head bowed.
Co-offenders Tracy Lee King, 36, and Anthony Shane Hagan, 21, have been sentenced to jail terms for their roles in the murder.
They both pleaded guilty to one count each of being an accessory after the fact of murder.
Outside of court, Ms Boyd’s sister, Rhiannon Boyd, said the sentencing was “really emotional at the end”.