Trial date for Travis Vader set for 2016

CTV Edmonton: Trial date for Vader set Travis Vader will have to wait another year to answer double murder charges in the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann.

The trial date for the man accused in connection to the deaths of a St. Albert couple in 2010 has been set – and Travis Vader will head to court in 2016.

Officials said Travis Vader will face a judge and jury starting March 7, 2016.

Vader was not in court Friday, his lawyer Brian Beresh appeared on his behalf – and once again questioned the Crown’s handling of the case.

“The way this entire case has been handled is unusual, this man wasn’t allowed a preliminary inquiry, a stay of proceedings when we were prepared to go to trial,” Beresh said. “Someone should answer for this.”

Vader was re-arrested on two counts of first-degree murder on December 19, 2014; months after original charges against him were stayed by the Crown.

The stayed charges gave the Crown one year to recommence proceedings.

Now, Beresh said he hasn’t seen any new evidence from the Crown, and he wondered if there is any.

“My view is that it would be an abuse of process to gain an advantage by delaying a trial,” Beresh said. “Our application would be that the crown cannot use any evidence found in the interim, that would be totally unfair.”

Its alleged Vader killed Lyle and Marie McCann on July 3, 2010. At the time of their disappearance, the couple had been travelling from their home in St. Albert to visit family in B.C., when they went missing.

One month has been set aside for the trial.

With files from David Ewasuk