Kody Giffen guilty of manslaughter

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Kody Allan Giffen, one of two brothers charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kristian Ayoungman, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter on Aug. 13.

The body of Christian William White, better known within the Strathmore and Siksika communities as Kristian Ayoungman, was found by RCMP on the morning of March 17, 2019 in a vehicle south of Strathmore with a fatal gunshot wound. 

Ayoungman was a well-known and popular former hockey player with the Wheatland Kings in Strathmore. The 24-year-old grew up playing hockey in the Siksika and Strathmore communities.

On March 16, 2019, Ayoungman was one of many former Wheatland Kings who played in the club’s 10-year alumni hockey game at the Strathmore Family Centre arena. Later that night, Strathmore RCMP responded to a call of a male who had been shot in a vehicle. 

Kody Giffen (aged 22 at the time of the shooting) and his brother Brandon Daniel Giffen (25 at the time of the shooting), both of Strathmore, were charged with first degree murder.

On Aug. 13, a hearing was held by video conference before Justice Suzanne Bensler, in which Kody pleaded guilty to manslaughter as part of a plea bargain agreement.

The sentencing date has not yet been set, according to Shelley Moore, Kody’s attorney. The matter has been adjourned to Dec. 18, 2020, with sentencing expected to occur sometime in 2021.

Brandon Giffen will stand trial during the summer of 2021.