Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Morgan Harris, Rebecca Contois, Marcedes Myran, and a fourth unidentified woman who has been given the name Buffalo Woman or Mashkode Bizhiki'ikwe.
On Tuesday, Skibicki's lawyers said the count related to Buffalo Woman should be quashed due to the fact her body has not been found and she has not been identified.
His lawyers said this information should make the count a "nullity" or legally void.
After listening to the arguments from both the defence and Crown, Court of King's Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal dismissed the motion, saying the "count is not a nullity."
A partial publication ban was put in place allowing information about the motion to be shared, but preventing any evidence discussed from being shared.
Skibicki has pleaded not guilty to all four first-degree murder counts.
Contois' remains were found in the Brady Landfill in June 2022, and it's believed the remains of Myran and Harris are in the Prairie Green Landfill. It is not known where Buffalo Woman's remains are.
In March, the federal and provincial governments reached an agreement to commit $20 million each to fund a search of Prairie Green.
Skibicki's trial is expected to get underway at the end of the month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
4th Indian national arrested, charged with murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Homicide investigators in B.C. say murder charges have been laid against a fourth Indian national in connection to the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Surrey gurdwara last year.
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Switzerland's Nemo wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest
Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with “The Code,” an operatic ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing their nongender identity.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.