Trial going ahead for man charged in NYE murder
By Peggy Revell on December 15, 2017.
prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell A man arrested following a New Year’s Eve homicide will stand trial, as his preliminary hearing wrapped up Thursday. After two days of witnesses and evidence heard, a judge directed that Leonard Robert Terence Beaulieu stand trial for the second-degree murder of 24-year-old Jordan Pede. Provincial Crown had put forward that the case could be tried as first-degree murder, but all sides ultimately consented to second-degree. A publication ban prevents the reporting of evidence, arguments and reasonings put forward during the bail hearing and preliminary hearings. Beaulieu’s next appearance will be on Jan. 12 before the Court of Queen’s Bench for arraignment. Also set to appear that day is Beaulieu’s co-accused, Luke Boxell. A three-day preliminary was originally set to run last week, but was cut short as all agreed there was enough evidence to go to trial. The pair was charged following the death Pede, who was found injured at Strathcona Island Park on New Year’s Eve, and later died in hospital. Police have called the homicide a drug deal gone wrong, with the cause of death being a gunshot wound. Boxell was later arrested by police in January, while Beaulieu was arrested in Winnipeg following a Canada-wide warrant, with multiple police agencies working together to locate him. In March, Boxell was released on a $10,000 cash surety with strict conditions, which included residing under 24-hour house arrest with his family in Manitoba. Beaulieu has remained in custody since his initial arrest, and was denied bail following a hearing in August. 13
-12
