NORTH BATTLEFORD – One of the accused in the death of Tiki Laverdiere faces other charges but his lawyer asked that they be dealt with after his trial in Court of Queen’s Bench.
Prince Albert lawyer Rebecca Crookshanks appeared by telephone in North Battleford Provincial Court Friday and waived Jesse Sangster’s attendance.
Sangster is charged with first-degree murder in 25-year-old Laverdiere’s death. Months later, new charges of possession of property over $5,000 obtained by crime and failing to appear in court were laid. The charges stem from the time frame of Laverdiere’s murder. The details are under a sweeping publication ban covering the preliminary hearings, trials and sentencing hearings of the 10 accused until all of those charged have gone through the court system.
Crookshanks waived delay on the charges. She told the court she doesn’t plan to proceed with this matter until Sangster’s 2023 trial at Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench is concluded.
“That’s a lengthy adjournment but it makes sense to proceed in this fashion,” said Judge Ian Mokuruk.
Sangster will appear in provincial court on this matter Feb. 13, 2023.
“By then the QB trial should be over,” said Crookshanks.
Laverdiere was reported missing to Battlefords RCMP on May 12, 2019. On June 10, 2019, RCMP announced that Laverdiere’s disappearance was the result of foul play and they would be investigating her disappearance as a homicide. On July 11, 2019, a police dog found Laverdiere's remains in a rural area outside of North Battleford while RCMP were conducting a ground search.
Laverdiere was in Saskatchewan April 2019 for the funeral of 20-year-old Tristen Cook-Buckle on Thunderchild First Nation.
