Robert Leeming killed his girlfriend and her toddler, then buried their bodies in a shallow grave: The Chilling Case of Jasmine Lovett and Aliyah Sanderson
After a mother and her toddler vanished without a trace, the criminal investigation that followed uncovered a disturbing discovery.
In April 2019, the local police department in Calgary, Alberta, faced a harrowing true crime case, as reported by CBC News
It involved the disappearance of a loving mother, Jasmine Lovett, and her 22-month-old daughter, Aliyah Sanderson.
What began as a routine missing persons report quickly escalated into a homicide investigation, revealing a web of lies, betrayal, and unimaginable violence.
Let's get into it
Jasmine Lovett was a 24-year-old single mother who lived in Calgary, Alberta.
She had faced her share of challenges but remained dedicated to providing a stable life for her daughter, Aliyah Sanderson.
Aliyah's father, Robbie Sanderson, was Jasmine’s former partner.
He reportedly never wanted to have a child, and as time went on, his behavior became increasingly erratic.
He would come home late, often drunk, and his temper began to flare.
In one particular incident, Robbie demanded money from Jasmine, and when she refused, he became aggressive.
Jasmine locked herself in the bathroom and quickly called the local police department for help.
However, before the responding officers would arrive, Robbie kicked in the door and took the phone from her hands.
Though he didn’t physically harm her, the incident left Jasmine deeply shaken.
After the police arrived, they were unable to take any significant action against Robbie since Jasmine wasn't physically injured.
Jasmine and Robbie eventually separated, and Jasmine was granted full custody of Aliyah.
By 2018, Jasmine was ready to move on with her life and began exploring new relationships.
She signed up for dating apps, where she met Robert Leeming, a 37-year-old British expat living in Canada.
Leeming, who had a charming personality and a British accent, appeared to lead a stable life as he was working as a vehicle mechanic.
However, Leeming had a very complicated past.
He had been married before and had a young son from that relationship.
His marriage ended in divorce in 2017, with his ex-wife being granted full custody of their child.
According to Court records, Leeming’s ex-wife accused him of emotional abuse, excessive drinking, and having a volatile temper.
She also expressed concerns about his growing collection of guns and knives, which made her fear for her safety and that of their son.
Additionally, she discovered disturbing internet searches on his phone.
One search was about how to abandon a dog after chaining it to a tree, and another was about how to burn a mother and child in a house fire.
Despite these red flags, Jasmine and Leeming’s relationship progressed quickly.
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| Jasmine Lovett and her 22-month-old daughter, Aliyah Sanderson |
Within a month of dating, Jasmine and Aliyah moved into Leeming’s house in Cranston, a suburban neighborhood in Calgary.
Leeming appeared to be happy with his role as a stepfather, taking on childcare duties and helping with the housework, which Jasmine appreciated.
At the time, Jasmine was struggling financially as Robbie had given up his parental rights and stopped paying child support.
However, over time, Jasmine's relationship with Leeming began to deteriorate.
In December 2018, Jasmine confided in her sister, Genevieve, that she and Leeming had broken up but chose to continue living together as roommates.
This was because finding a new house on short notice was too difficult since Jasmine was still job hunting and not working at the time.
The breakup didn’t last long, and the couple reconciled within weeks.
During this period, Leeming had his own personal struggles.
He was dealing with the emotional fallout of his divorce and the limited access he had to his son.
He turned to alcohol to cope, and his drinking became a source of tension in his relationship with Jasmine
While their relationship had its ups and downs, there were no immediate signs of the tragedy that later unfolded.
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| Jasmine Lovett and her 22-month-old daughter, Aliyah Sanderson |
Jasmine And Aaliyah Mysteriously Disappear
Jasmine Lovett and her 22-month-old daughter, Aliyah Sanderson, were last seen alive on April 17, 2019.
According to Robert Leeming, the three had gone for a picnic at Bragg Creek, a popular outdoor area west of Calgary.
After returning home, Leeming claimed Jasmine and Aliyah stayed at his house while he went out for a date with another woman.
He stated that when he returned later that night, Jasmine and Aliyah were gone.
However, Jasmine’s family found this story suspicious after she failed to show up for a planned family dinner on April 19, 2019.
Jasmine was known for being reliable and communicative with family, so her sudden silence was out of character.
Her sister, Genevieve, tried calling and texting her multiple times but received no response.
By April 21, Jasmine’s mother, Kim, visited the townhouse to check on her daughter and granddaughter.
She knocked on the door and rang the doorbell, but there was no answer.
Kim then left a note on the front door, hoping Jasmine or Leeming would see it.
When Jasmine still hadn’t made contact by April 23, her family went to the local police department to file a missing persons report.
They emphasized that Jasmine would never disappear without warning, especially not without contacting her family.
The police initially considered Jasmine’s ex-partner, Robbie Sanderson, as a potential suspect but quickly ruled him out due to a solid alibi.
On April 24, officers conducted a welfare check at Leeming’s townhouse.
They knocked on the door and rang the doorbell, but as usual there was no response.
Moments later, Leeming finally opened the door, claiming he had been sleeping with earplugs in and hadn’t heard the knocking.
During the interaction, Leeming’s behavior raised suspicions.
He initially told the officers that Jasmine was with her sister, but when pressed, he admitted he hadn’t heard from her either.
He mentioned that he and Jasmine had argued weeks earlier and that she had threatened to move out, but he insisted everything was fine when he last saw her on April 17.
The police searched the townhouse but found no immediate signs of Jasmine or Aliyah.
However, they noted several red flags.
The walls in certain areas had been scrubbed clean, and there were strips of raw bacon scattered around the house—a tactic sometimes used to confuse search dogs.
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| Jasmine Lovett |
Over the following days, investigators analyzed Leeming’s phone data.
They discovered he had deleted around 30 photos of Jasmine and Aliyah on April 23, the day they were reported missing.
His search history also included troubling queries, such as “how long does it take for a body to burn.”
On April 25, 2019, a SWAT team executed a search warrant at Leeming’s home.
In the garage, they uncovered a gun safe containing multiple firearms and ammunition.
They also discovered trash cans filled with incriminating items like infant toys, Jasmine’s shredded passport, and melted firearm parts.
Despite the mounting evidence, Leeming continued to deny any involvement in Jasmine and Aliyah’s disappearance.
He was arrested but released because the evidence gathered was circumstantial
However, the investigation was far from over.
The police turned their attention to Bragg Creek, where Leeming claimed to have taken Jasmine and Aliyah for a picnic.
On May 5, investigators searched the area and found a recently used fire pit.
Inside, they discovered charred remnants of a car seat belt, toddler shoes in Aliyah’s size, parts of children’s books, and a Jungle Book DVD.
Scent dogs alerted to the presence of an accelerant, suggesting something had been deliberately burned.
While the evidence pointed to foul play, the police still lacked definitive proof to charge Leeming.
It wasn’t until later, during an undercover operation, that Leeming ultimately confessed to the murders.
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| Robert Leeming |
How Was Robert Leeming Caught?
Robert Leeming’s confession was the result of a carefully orchestrated undercover operation by law enforcement.
On May 5, 2019, two undercover police officers approached Leeming near his home and started a conversation with him.
After they posed as local criminals who were highly connected to get his attention, they claimed to recognize him from the media coverage of the case and sympathized with his situation.
They also told him that they could help him with his legal problems, claiming they understood what it was like to be “screwed over by the system.”
During their conversations, the undercover officers told him that they had access to evidence that could incriminate him.
They told Leeming that one of his neighbors had allegedly stolen a bag of evidence during the police search of his home and that they now had it in their possession.
They offered to help him dispose of it—no questions asked.
Leeming, who was increasingly desperate and isolated, began to open up to the undercover officers.
He admitted to cheating on Jasmine throughout their relationship and described their relationship as more of a roommate arrangement than a romantic partnership.
He eventually confessed to killing Jasmine and Aliyah.
He explained that on April 17, 2019, he had struck Jasmine multiple times with a hammer before shooting her in the head with a rifle.
He claimed that Jasmine had discovered Aliyah unresponsive and accused him of being responsible, which led to the violent confrontation.
Leeming also admitted to disposing of their bodies.
He told the undercover officers that he had driven to a remote area near Bragg Creek, where he buried Jasmine and Aliyah in shallow graves.
He also burned their personal belongings, including Aliyah’s car seat, clothes, and toys, in a makeshift fire pit.
His intention was to make it appear like they had left voluntarily.
In a chilling show of confidence, Leeming offered to take the undercover officers to the burial site.
On May 5, 2019, he led them to the location in Bragg Creek where he had hidden the bodies.
Unbeknownst to him, the entire interaction was being monitored by law enforcement.
Once Leeming revealed the location of the bodies, the undercover officers signaled for his arrest.
He was taken into custody, and the bodies of Jasmine and Aliyah were recovered from the site.
Forensic analysis confirmed their identities and revealed the extent of their injuries.
Jasmine had suffered blunt force trauma and a gunshot wound, while Aliyah had multiple head injuries and evidence of spinal damage.
Leeming’s confession and the recovery of the bodies provided the conclusive evidence needed to charge him.
On May 7, 2019, he was formally charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
His arrest marked the end of a harrowing investigation and the beginning of the legal proceedings that would ultimately bring him to justice.
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| Robert Leeming after his arrest |
The Legal Proceedings
Robert Leeming’s trial commenced in October 2021.
During the proceedings, Leeming took the stand in his own defense.
He admitted to killing Jasmine but claimed it was a crime of passion.
According to his testimony, Aliyah had accidentally fallen down the stairs while in his care, leaving her unresponsive.
When Jasmine discovered Aliyah’s condition, she became enraged and attacked him.
Leeming claimed he acted in self-defense, striking Jasmine with a hammer and later shooting her with a rifle.
However, the prosecution did not agree with Leeming’s version of events.
The medical examiner’s report revealed that Aliyah had suffered multiple severe head injuries, inconsistent with a simple fall.
Additionally, there was evidence of sexual abuse, which further contradicted Leeming’s claims.
The prosecution argued that Leeming had killed Jasmine to silence her after she discovered his abuse of Aliyah and then murdered the toddler to cover his tracks.
On October 21, 2021, Justice Keith Yamauchi, who presided over the case, delivered his verdict.
Leeming was found guilty on both counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison with a chance of parole after 22 years.
The legal proceedings brought a measure of closure to Jasmine’s family, though no sentence could ever undo the pain of losing her and Aliyah.
Jasmine and Aliyah’s memory lives on.
Justice was served, but the scars left by this tragedy will remain.
Got a tip about a crime? Please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS immediately.
You can also see how to report a crime anonymously online if you wish to remain anonymous.
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