“In a legal twist just weeks before his trial, Jeremy Skibicki’s attempt to have one of the murder charges against him quashed has been denied by the judge.
The Case: Four Indigenous Women Murdered
Skibicki is facing four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Morgan Harris, Rebecca Contois, Marcedes Myran, and an unidentified woman known as Buffalo Woman or Mashkode Bizhiki’ikwe.
The Argument: A Nullity Due to Missing Body
Skibicki’s lawyers argued that the charge related to Buffalo Woman should be dismissed because her body has not been found and she has not been positively identified. They claimed that this lack of evidence should render the count null and void.
The Decision: Count Stands
After hearing arguments from both the defence and the prosecution, Chief Justice Glenn Joyal ruled that the count should not be quashed, stating that it is not a nullity.
Search for Answers Continues
While the remains of Contois have been found in the Brady Landfill, Myran and Harris are believed to be in the Prairie Green Landfill. The whereabouts of Buffalo Woman’s remains remain unknown. Efforts to search the Prairie Green Landfill have been funded by a joint $40 million commitment from federal and provincial governments.
A Trial on the Horizon
Skibicki maintains his plea of not guilty to all four first-degree murder charges and his trial is set to begin at the end of the month.
In the pursuit of justice for the lives lost, the legal process moves forward, seeking answers and closure for the families and communities affected. As the trial approaches, the focus remains on seeking the truth and delivering justice for the victims of these tragic crimes.”
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