Life Sentence for Brutal First-Degree Murder
A British Columbia Supreme Court justice sentenced 25-year-old Zain Xavier Wood to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years. Wood received the conviction in November for first-degree murder after stabbing 22-year-old Isabelle Thomas to death in her Prince George home in 2023, in front of her two young daughters, aged six years and six months.
Wood entered the Alpine Village townhouse complex residence and spent about 35 seconds inside before killing Thomas on the second floor with 16 stab wounds.
Justice Highlights Aggravating Factors
Justice Michael Tammen described the crime as extremely aggravated, even among first-degree murders. “Ms. Thomas was an Indigenous woman brutally murdered in the sanctity of her own home,” Tammen stated. “Mr. Wood killed Ms. Thomas in the presence of her six-year-old daughter, who witnessed the killing and saw her mother die from her injuries.”
Tammen emphasized the unimaginable devastation for Thomas’s daughters. “Nothing in the Canadian legal system can undo the pain, heal the wounds, or provide meaningful reparations for the surviving family,” he added. He characterized the murder as “brutal, savage, callous, premeditated, and planned over time.”
Victim’s Background and Legacy
Isabelle Thomas, born and raised in Prince George, belonged to the Nadleh Whut’en First Nation. She worked as a dietary aide and friends and family remembered her as kind, loving, and full of ambitious plans for her future.
Perpetrator’s Prior Status and Rejected Defense
At the time of the incident, Wood remained on house arrest for a previous offense and wore an electronic ankle monitor. He testified that he entered the home to steal a PlayStation 4 to fund his lawyer and stabbed Thomas after she startled him. Wood also claimed a brief romantic involvement with Thomas in 2019 and said he used drugs and heard voices during the offense.
Tammen dismissed Wood’s account as “ludicrous” and rejected the drug and hallucination claims.
Family’s Victim Impact Statements
Thomas’s mother, Leslie Thomas, delivered a victim impact statement portraying her daughter as joyful, compassionate, and deeply tied to family, friends, and culture. “These two children now grow up in a world forever changed, carrying a loss no child should bear,” Leslie Thomas said.
She called the murder a systemic failure, noting Wood’s ankle monitor. “An ankle monitor does not provide constant protection,” she explained. “Tracking often lacks continuity and requires active requests from police or bail supervisors. Without monitoring, no alarms trigger.” Leslie Thomas argued proactive supervision could have saved her daughter’s life.
Sentence Details
First-degree murder in Canada mandates life imprisonment with a 25-year parole ineligibility period. Wood may seek a reduction after 15 years served. The court also imposed a lifetime firearms prohibition and no-contact orders protecting Thomas’s family, friends, and witnesses.
