Chelsea Davidenas was 29 years old when she was killed in February 2024.
Steven Aaron Zwick, also 29, of Airdrie, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday, having originally been charged with first-degree murder. Court of King's Bench Justice Glen Poelman sentenced him to life in prison with no eligibility for parole for 15 years, meaning he will first be able to apply in 2041. Eligibility does not guarantee release, and if he is eventually granted parole he will remain subject to supervision and conditions for the rest of his life.
What the court heard
The facts come from an agreed statement prepared by Crown prosecutor Vicki Faulkner and defence lawyer Andrea Urquhart, read aloud in court and accepted by Zwick as part of his plea.
According to that statement, Davidenas was lured to a residence on Rundlehorn Drive N.E. in northeast Calgary in February 2024, where she and Zwick were known to each other. Faulkner told the court Davidenas resisted, describing how she yelled and groaned, attempting to make noise, while two men held her down and attempted to silence her. Zwick positioned himself behind her with his arm around her neck, and the assault, including the strangulation, lasted under ten minutes with Davidenas continuing to fight.
The Crown's statement alleges the two men had planned to confine and sexually assault a woman and record it. "She died before they could rape her," Faulkner said. Her body was moved days later to a rural area southeast of the city.
Zwick apologized in court
Before sentencing, Zwick addressed the courtroom. "I know nothing I can say will bring her back or undo the actions took place," he said. "The events spiralled out of control, and I'll do anything to go back and change that date. All I can do now is take responsibility for my actions in hopes that it will bring some degree of closure to you guys."
Poelman, in handing down the sentence, commented on the cruelty of subjecting Davidenas to a terrifying and painful struggle. "It is hard to conceive of a more reprehensible series of steps and a plan to deal with vulnerable women," he said.
Her family spoke
More than a dozen of Davidenas' loved ones attended, and several delivered victim impact statements.
A video was played of her daughter reading hers. She was 11 when her mother was killed. "She loved having dance parties, laughing and making people smile. I wish I had more memories like that of her," she said. "I would give anything to hear her voice one more time."
Davidenas' mother spoke through tears, telling the court that people say you'll always have your memories, but that grief can take those memories and make them too painful to reach. Her sister Kendra said she became a florist because flowers remind her of her Chelsea Rose.
"Chelsea was more than a name spoken in a courtroom," Kendra said. "She was someone's daughter, she was someone's mother, she was my sister. She mattered."
How she was found
Davidenas was last seen on February 17, 2024, and her family reported her missing on February 27 after being unable to reach her. Two men were arrested on April 2, and police located her remains two days later in a rural area southeast of Chestermere, more than six weeks after she was killed. The Calgary Search and Rescue Association assisted in the search.
Calgary police said at the time they believed Davidenas was targeted because of her history in sex work, and that the case was not connected to any other missing persons investigation in the city.
The second accused, and the plea
Paul Joseph Rushton, 52, of Calgary was charged with first-degree murder alongside Zwick in April 2024. He has not entered a plea, his jury trial is scheduled for 2027, and none of the allegations against him have been proven. Nothing established in Zwick's plea has been proven against him.
Court records reported by CBC News in 2024 show Rushton lived at the Rundlehorn Drive residence and was on probation at the time of the homicide, following a voyeurism conviction in May 2023 involving surreptitiously recording intimate images of a woman. Alberta Justice described his criminal history at the time as fairly lengthy. Zwick, when arrested, was wanted on dozens of other charges including assault, weapons offences and breaches of court orders. Both men were denied bail and have remained in custody since.
The decision to accept a second-degree murder plea after Zwick was charged with first-degree murder has prompted questions about the difference between the two offences. The Crown has not publicly explained why it accepted the plea. To secure a first-degree murder conviction, prosecutors would have needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was planned and deliberate. Both offences carry an automatic life sentence, but first-degree murder sets parole eligibility at 25 years, while second-degree ranges from 10 to 25.
If you need support
Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse operates a 24-hour support line at 403-237-5888. The Alberta One Line for Sexual Violence is 1-866-403-8000, available by phone, text and chat. Alberta's Family Violence Info Line is 310-1818, 24 hours, with support in more than 170 languages. Kids Help Phone is free and confidential at 1-800-668-6868, or text CONNECT to 686868.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Sources
Court of King's Bench of Alberta, sentencing hearing, August 24, 2026
Agreed statement of facts, R. v. Zwick
Calgary Police Service statements, 2024
Criminal Code of Canada, sections 231 and 745
Courtroom proceedings as reported by CBC News, CTV News and Postmedia. Prior court records as reported by CBC News.
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