Second Degree

An expanded and updated edition of the bestselling work of true crime from award-winning journalist Kayla Hounsell, exploring the high-profile 2017 Will Sandeson murder case.

"I pulled the trigger."

In 2017, a jury found Will Sandeson guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Taylor Samson. A "good kid" from a good family, Sandeson was about to start classes at Dalhousie University's medical school when Samson disappeared. The trial exposed a dangerous world of drugs, greed, and misplaced loyalties—including a private investigator accused of switching sides. Sandeson was ultimately sentenced to life in prison.

He immediately appealed; in 2020, Sandeson's conviction was overturned and a new trial ordered. In a shocking twist, Sandeson finally took the stand, detailing in four days of explosive testimony how and why he killed Samson, and for the first time offering an explanation of what he'd done with Samson's body.

An updated and expanded follow-up to award-winning journalist Kayla Hounsell's First Degree: From Med School to Murder, Second Degree features all-new chapters and never-before-published material. Accented with 25 colour photos, this riveting work tells the powerful story of a drug deal gone terribly wrong and examines the crime, the courts, and the killer's crusade for freedom.

A portion of the royalties from this book will help fund a scholarship at Amherst Regional High School in Taylor Samson's name.