Brief appearance for Hatter charged with murder, extortion
By Peggy Revell on January 24, 2018.
prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell The Medicine Hat man charged with extortion and first-degree murder for the death of 64-year-old James Satre made a brief court appearance on Wednesday. Robert S. Hoefman appeared by closed-circuit television before the Medicine Hat Provincial Court from remand, with his defence counsel — local lawyer Lyndon Heidinger — requesting an adjournment until Feb. 15 as they are waiting for more disclosure to come from the Crown on the case. Hoefman, 55, was originally arrested on Nov. 9 on a single count of extortion. He has been in custody since then, completing psychiatric evaluations in Calgary. Police began investigating the extortion on Oct. 10. Then, on Oct. 11, Satre’s body was found in an alleyway near his home by the intersection of Mill Street and Smelter Avenue. Police announced the two investigations were possibly linked in mid-October., The charge of first-degree murder was laid in January, with police saying the murder was used to “strike fear” into the extortion victims. Police also stated that Satre appears to be a “victim of circumstance and location,” as he did not appear to be connected to the accused or extortion victims in any matter. 8-7
