Regina woman's toe ripped off as repayment of drug debt

By Jana G. Pruden, Leader-PostDecember 4, 2009

REGINA — The victim of a bizarre assault remains in hiding after having her baby toe ripped off with pliers in payment of a $1,000 drug debt last summer.

Crown prosecutor Chris White said the assault contained an "element of torture," with the toe removed in an especially horrific manner that was designed to cause "excessive pain and excessive anguish" to the 35-year-old victim.

"It was torn off with pliers — not exactly removed with surgical precision," he said.

After tearing off the woman's toe, Daniel Theodore left her on the side of the road outside Regina, with the parting words: "Debt paid."

Theodore pleaded guilty to aggravated assault at Regina Provincial Court on Friday, in a case that his own lawyer admits is "disturbing."

"This is a heinous crime, there's no doubt about it," defence lawyer Barry Nychuk told court during Friday's proceedings.

White said RCMP first learned about the bizarre assault on July 11, 2009, after a driver was flagged down north of Regina by a distraught woman who said her toe was missing.

White said the woman was not wearing a sock or shoe on her right foot, and her baby toe appeared to have been "amputated."

The woman originally gave police false information about what had occurred, but later admitted she lied because she feared for her life.

White said the woman eventually told investigators she owed Theodore $1,000 for an outstanding drug debt, and had spent the day driving around with him and two other women, drinking and doing cocaine.

The day took a terrifying turn when Theodore pulled over on a road outside Regina, and asked one of the other females: "You gonna do this, or what?"

White said that woman then started to beat the accused, and the group held her down as she fought and screamed.

White told court the victim's shoe was removed, and Theodore directed one of the women to "do it." When she refused, Theodore took a pair of red-handled pliers and ripped off the victim's little toe.