Timeline of events surrounding the Travis Vader murder trial

CTV News Channel: Travis Vader's lawyer appeals The lawyer for Travis Vader has filed an appeal saying the judge relied on a section of the Criminal Code that's deemed unconstitutional.

Here is a timeline of events surrounding the Travis Vader trial, who is accused of first-degree murder in the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann.

2010

July 3: Lyle and Marie McCann are seen for the last time fuelling up their motorhome in St. Albert, Alta., north of Edmonton, for a trip to Abbotsford, B.C.

July 5: The couple’s burned-out motorhome is discovered in the bush near Edson, Alta., 200 kilometres west of St. Albert. RCMP call the couple’s home and knock on their door but say that they weren’t alarmed because vehicles are often found burning in the bush.

July 16: RCMP announce that the SUV the couple was towing behind the motorhome has been found off a bush trail near Edson after receiving a phone call from Trudy Holder, the couple’s daughter, and receiving a tip from two people. Travis Vader is named as a person of interest.

July 19: Vader is arrested on outstanding warrants on unrelated charges.

Aug. 31: Alberta RCMP officially name Vader a suspect.

Nov. 11: Family of the McCanns officially call of the ground search for the couple missing since July.

2011

June 26: Investigators resume searching for the missing couple in a specific area but won’t elaborate on what led them there.

July 20: A judge declares the McCanns dead so their wills and estates can be processed even though their bodies have not been found. In the days following the family arranges an obituary and a memorial.

Dec. 22: Vader is sentenced to 33 months in prison for arsons and break-ins in 2009.

2012

April 18: Vader is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of the McCanns almost two years after their disappearance.

Oct. 19: Vader is convicted of drug trafficking, theft and weapons charges but before he is sentenced the judge declares a mistrial due to negligence by the RCMP.

2014

Feb. 7: Vader files a lawsuit against the RCMP claiming they kept in jail on trumped-up charges until they could charge him with the murder of the McCanns.

March 19: Charges are stayed days before the murder trial begins after the Crown discovers the RCMP failed to disclose all evidence in the case to lawyers. The Crown retains the option to reactivate the charges in the next year.

April 22: Vader files another lawsuit for wrongful prosecution and misconduct by RCMP.

Oct. 8: Vader is found not guilty of previous charges during second trial. He is released from custody for the first time in four years and tells reporters this has been a “witch hunt.”

Dec. 19: RCMP arrest Vader and reactivate first-degree murder charges against him for the deaths of the McCanns.

2015

Dec. 15: Court documents released show forensic evidence, cellphone records and a bullet hole in a hat are part of the Crown’s attempt to tie Vader to the deaths of the McCanns.

2016

Jan. 26: Justice Denny Tomas denies an application by defence lawyers to drop the case even though the RCMP made serious mistakes and prosecutors didn’t get the suspect to trial quickly.

March 8: The trial officially begins. In the coming days, Holder, the McCann’s daughter, testifies against Vader.

May 11: Vader is arrested while on trial after police discovered that he had breached his bail conditions. A few days later new charges are laid include breaking and entering and possession of a stolen vehicle.

Sept. 13: A judge rules to allow news cameras to broadcast his verdict after several media outlets filed a court application.

Sept. 15: Thomas finds Vader guilty of second-degree murder. He says he has concluded the killings were committed during a robbery and there is not enough evidence that they were planned. Vader's lawyer says his client will appeal.

Sept. 22: Defence lawyers file an application for a mistrial.

Oct. 28: Thomas decides not to allow cameras in the courtroom again for a hearing on the mistrial application.

Oct. 31: Thomas vacates the second-degree murder verdict and finds Vader guilty of manslaughter. He says he will issue written reasons later.

2017

Jan. 25: Thomas sentences Vader to life in prison with no parole eligibility for seven years. He dismisses a defence submission that Vader should get a lesser sentence because his rights were violated in custody. Bret McCann, the dead couple's son, says family members are going to attempt to go on with their lives.

With files from The Canadian Press