CALGARY - A Carstairs woman was sentenced on Monday to five years in prison for trying to have her husband murdered in February 2024.
Audra Lynne Symbalisty, 60, entered a plea before Justice Michele Hollins in Calgary Court of King’s Bench on March 17, when her two week trial was scheduled to begin.
The plea reads: “Between the 24th day of February 2024 and the 25th day of February 2025, both dates inclusive, at or near Didsbury, Alberta, did council an undercover police officer to commit the indictable offence of murder of Donald Symbalisty, which offence was not committed, contrary to Section 464(A) of the Criminal Code.”
According to a statement of facts agreed to by the Crown and defence, in February 2024 Symbalisty offered to pay $5,000 to an undercover police officer posing as a contract killer for the murder of her husband of 18-years.
“Symbalisty deliberately encouraged and/or actively inducted or advocated for (the undercover officer) to murder the victim,” the statement reads. “She did this by repeatedly asking or earnestly asking for or seeking or inviting or making a request of (the officer) to murder the victim, urging (the officer) to murder the victim, and/or instigating the victim’s murder or persuading (the officer) to murder the victim.
“In doing so, Symbalisty intended for (the officer) to murder the victim . . . while aware of the unjustified risk that the murder was, in fact, likely to be committed as a result of her conduct.”
A publication ban prohibits identifying the undercover officer.
Symbalisty had purchased a life insurance policy in 2021 which would have paid her about $475,000 in the event of her husband’s death.
Court also heard that the husband “had made several cruel comments about the death of Symbalisty’s daughter” prior to the offence.
Crown prosecutor Ryan Ziegler told the court Symbalisty’s crime “required a high degree of planning (and) wasn’t spur of the moment.”
Defence counsellor Allan Fay told the court Symbalisty accepts responsibility for her actions.
“In retrospect I know that Ms. Symbalisty is completely flabbergasted that she would have done this,” he said.
Symbalisty has held in custody since being arrested on Feb. 28, 2024.
Before sentencing, Symbalisty told the court, “I did something I never thought I would do. I wish I could go back in time. I am very remorseful.”
The Crown and defence proposed a sentence of five years in prison, less time in custody credit of 576 days, leaving Symbalisty to serve 41 months in custody.
Justice Hollins accepted the proposed sentence, and also imposed a lifetime weapons ban and a DNA order.
