In 2017, my best friend, Chelsey Lea Gauthier, a 22-year-old Indigenous mother of two, was brutally taken from us. Her loss was not only deeply personal for me but also a devastating blow to our community. Chelsey was a vibrant young woman, full of life and dreams for a future with her children. The anguish of her absence is compounded by the feeling that justice has not been fully served.

Gary Donald Losch was charged with Mansluaghter and committing indignities to her body. Even so, with his conviction there isn’t a minimum sentence. He took an innocent life and I feel a murder charge with life imprisonment is the justice Chelsey, her friends, her family, and every indigenous man and woman will feel that he deserves.

Yet, despite the severity of his crimes, there is a very real fear that justice may not be met to its fullest extent. The legal system has often inadequately addressed crimes against Indigenous women, and Chelsey deserves more than to be another statistic.

Chelsey's children have been left without a mother, her family is without a beloved daughter, and I am without a best friend. The pain of her loss is immeasurable, but what deepens the wound is the failure to see justice serve its rightful course.

We call upon the judicial system to serve justice without leniency in this case. We demand that Gary Donald Losch receives the maximum sentence allowable by law for his horrific actions. It is imperative not only for Chelsey's family but also as a statement that society will not tolerate such acts of violence and disrespect, particularly against Indigenous women.

Please support this call for justice by signing this petition. Let your signature be a beacon of solidarity for Chelsey and her loved ones, and a resounding demand for accountability and justice. Together, we can ensure that Chelsey’s death does not go unanswered, and her spirit remains a catalyst for change. Sign this petition and help us drive the change needed to ensure justice is not just a promise but a reality in our legal system.