By EverythingGP staff

Court

Court update: Two trials set in murder case, community sentence for one accused in copper wire theft

Jun 27, 2022 | 6:00 AM

Trail dates set for two men charged in murder case

Alberta Justice says trial dates have been set for two of the men charged after the death of a 19-year-old Clairmont man.

A trial for Justin John Bishop is set for October 3 to 21 while a trial for Cody Letourneau is scheduled for February 13 to March 3, 2023.

Both were charged after the death of Kyler Dean Commandeur on June 11, 2020. He was found dead along Highway 677 west of Highway 2 near the Woking turnoff.

A fourth accused, Melissa Aletha Healey, is due for sentencing December 1 after being found guilty of unlawful confinement.

A fifth person, Krista Marie Healey, was charged with accessory after the fact. A stay of proceedings has been in place since last November.

Commandeur’s family started the Kyler Kindness Fund last fall, something they hope gives back to the community.

Most serious charged dismissed or withdrawn in robbery/forcible confinement arrest

Alberta Justice says the more serious charges against two men charged in a robbery and forcible confinement arrest were either dismissed or withdrawn.

Braydan Michael Morrison had been facing 13 charges, including robbery, forcible confinement, and sexual assault. Those three were dismissed June 9 in Grande Prairie court.

The Grande Prairie man had been given a nine-month time served jail sentence in November after pleading guilty to charges that included flight from a peace officer, operating a vehicle while prohibited, and failure to comply with a release order.

On June 9, charges of robbery, unlawful confinement, and two weapons charges against Tyler Justin Timothy Horseman of Horse Lake were withdrawn. He was given 10 days in jail time served on a charge of possession of stolen property under $5000.

They were arrested after Beaverlodge RCMP got a report of a robbery and forcible confinement at Horse Lake First Nation on February 18, 2021.

The two men were arrested three days later.

Community sentence for second accused in copper wire theft

Alberta Justice says a second man accused in a copper wire theft from last year has been given a community sentence.

Robert Yates was given a six-month community sentence order after pleading guilty to three charges June 22 in Grande Prairie court.

Those included mischief causing damage, theft under $5000, and possession of a controlled substance.

These sentences are served in the community, not in jail, and come with conditions attached.

Yates and Lloyd Hagedorn, both from Grande Prairie, were arrested on April 2, 2021.

RCMP said at the time they saw two suspects committing an offence at a pair of oilfield sites northwest of Grande Prairie.

Police did a traffic stop, which led to the discovery of freshly cut copper wire in the suspect’s possession and to damage caused at those oilfield sites.

In April 2022, Hagedorn pleaded guilty to five charges, including theft under $5000, flight from a peace officer, and failure to comply.

He was given a 450-day jail sentence to cover these charges and guilty pleas in another arrest with similar charges.

Charges withdrawn in Peace River drug arrest

Alberta Justice says charges against two men arrested in a Peace River drug bust in March have been withdrawn.

The dozen charges against Justin Jesse Christian and two more against Ryan Alexander Cardinal were withdrawn June 13 in Peace River court.

They were charged after a search of a vehicle, home, and business in Peace River on May 5, 2022. An investigation had started in March.

RCMP said at the time they had seized just over five ounces of cocaine packaged for trafficking, a loaded handgun, more than $30,000 cash, and 95,000 contraband cigarettes.