METRO VANCOUVER -- A Surrey man has been sentenced to four years in jail, minus time served, for killing his live in girlfriend in January 2011.

Harvey Bracken pleaded guilty to manslaughter last week for killing Jennifer Ferguson at their Surrey home while both were on a drug binge.

Bracken apologized in B.C. Supreme Court Tuesday and Justice Gregory Fitch accepted his remorse in imposing another two years and eight months in custody.

Bracken, now 50, had met the 40-year-old mother of three six months before her death and they moved in together a short time later.

Ferguson's family reported her missing on Jan. 30, 2011, after no one had seen her for a week.

On Feb. 2, 2011, her body was found wrapped in plastic in a ditch in North Vancouver's Kirkstone Park, and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team took over the case.

Investigators set up 24-hour-a-day surveillance on Bracken. He was arrested for killing Ferguson less than two weeks later and has been in custody ever since.

"Any time IHIT can bring a case to the point where the accused pleads guilty and ultimately serves time in prison is a positive outcome in the eyes of investigators, " IHIT's Sgt. Jennifer Pound said Tuesday.

kbolan@vancouversun.com

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