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Court & Crime Catchup: The past week on SASKTODAY.ca

This week, another person was sentenced in the killing of Tiki Laverdiere, thieves pulled a multi-vehicle theft from a Rosetown dealership, human trafficking suspects made a court appearance, someone appears to have burned a church down, and more.
moose jaw court house
A decision out of Moose Jaw Court of Queen's Bench declares accused guilty of manslaughter in stabbing death.

SASKTODAY.ca — Catch up with the past week's court and crime news. Click on the links below to expand on the stories.

Man claiming mental illness declared guilty of manslaughter

MOOSE JAW — A 67-page decision out of Moose Jaw Court of Queen's Bench states the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Jeffrey Glenn McCaig stabbed Kevin Hallock 17 times but not that he intended to kill.

RCMP charge man with passing police vehicle in construction zone

FORT QU'APELLE — RCMP have charged a 54-year-old man with passing a line of vehicles - including a police vehicle - in a construction zone. When police stopped the vehicle they found a weapon.

Charges laid in Regina crash that injured seven-year-old

REGINA — 47-year-old Charles Howard Raycraft, of Regina, is charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm, and impaired operation of a motor vehicle after a series of collisions resulting in a seven-year-old boy being injured.

Police arrest 2 after 6 new vehicles stolen from dealership

RCMP have arrested two Alberta residents and are investigating the theft of six new vehicles from a dealership in Rosetown.

Rosetown RCMP say they got a call about a group of suspicious vehicles travelling close together on a grid road near Rosetown. They got a second call about a break and enter at a car dealership in Rosetown. Get more details.

SPS investigating after man, 87, forcibly confined, assaulted

At approximately 3 a.m., June 22, SPS were called to a business in the 500 block of 20th Street West. The victim had been inside the business at approximately 11 p.m. when at least two males broke into the building, confined the victim and beat him before fleeing the scene, say police.

Human trafficking suspects have appearances in Saskatoon court

SASKATOON – The case against three men charged in a human trafficking and organized crime sting has been adjourned to next year.

All three are charged with participating in the activities of a criminal organization, trafficking persons, material benefit from trafficking persons, and withholding or destroying identity documents.

Lighthouse exec Windels removed by court order

SASKATOON — A publication ban has been lifted by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal regarding a court order removing Don Windels from his roles as executive director and as board member at The Lighthouse and Blue Mountain Adventure Park Inc. over questionable loan transactions.

We have a deep dive into the details, with reporter John Cairns.

Life with no parole for 12 years in stabbing death

MEADOW LAKE – Thirty-two-year-old Conrad Joseph Jay Merasty of Flying Dust First Nation was sentenced in Meadow Lake Provincial Court to life in prison with no parole for 12 years in the death of 43-year-old Kenneth Merasty.

Waterhen church destroyed by fire, RCMP say it's suspicious

WATERHEN LAKE FIRST NATION — RCMP say that on June 23, at approximately 6:10 a.m. Meadow Lake RCMP were called to a structure fire at a church on Waterhen Lake First Nation. Investigation suggests the fire is suspicious in nature.

Danita Thomas gets 12.5 years for Laverdiere's death

BATTLEFORD – Danita Thomas of North Battleford was handed 12 and-a-half years in prison for her part in the murder of Tiki Laverdiere of Edmonton.

On March 25, Thomas was found guilty of manslaughter. She was originally charged with first-degree murder. She was also found guilty of improperly interfering with human remains and theft of a vehicle.

Woman charged for helping with alleged attempt to kill RCMP officer

LA RONGE – Police have charged a La Ronge woman with assisting a man who allegedly attempted to shoot and kill an RCMP officer when gunfire broke out in La Ronge June 19.

On June 22, 24-year-old Nikeyta Bradfield of La Ronge was arrested in Saskatoon and charged with two counts of knowing that Terrance Arnold Daigenault had attempted to murder an RCMP officer while using a firearm and did assist him. She is also charged with helping him to attempt to escape.

Battlefords RCMP arrest son for mother's murder

THE BATTLEFORDS — Walter Geering, 45, of North Battleford was arrested on June 22 and charged with one count of second-degree murder in the death of his mother.

The victim has been identified as 72-year-old Beatrice Geering from North Battleford.

More than $500K in drugs seized in Lloydminster investigation

LLOYDMINSTER — Lloydminster RCMP's organized crime and gang team worked with Lloydminster RCMP, British Columbia’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, and RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime to seize more than half a million dollars in drugs and cash.

More drug trafficking, weapons charges dropped against known gang member

Drug trafficking and weapons charges were dropped against Courtlin Littlewolfe in June in Lloydminster, Sask., court, and similar charges were dropped against him in March in Lloydminster, Alta., court.

Trial set in N. B. court for man charged in string of robberies

NORTH BATTLEFORD – A man accused of a string of break, enter and thefts over a six-month period is headed to trial.

The trial for Eugene Bear, 36, is scheduled for Sept. 28 in North Battleford Provincial Court.

Preliminary hearing set for man accused of attacking 74-year-old

MEADOW LAKE – A preliminary hearing has been set for a 30-year-old man charged with attacking a 74-year-old man and then fleeing with an axe.

The hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for Jordan Andrew Scott Nelson to stand trial on attempted murder and aggravated assault charges is set for Nov. 22 in Meadow Lake Provincial Court.