Edmonton woman Tiki Laverdiere, 25, was last seen in North Battleford. (supplied photo/Battlefords RCMP)

By Angela Brown

Homicide investigation

No contact order focus of court appearance for two charged in Laverdiere homicide

Sep 13, 2019 | 1:46 PM

The importance of abiding by a no contact order came up when two of the eight individuals facing charges related to Tiki Brook-Lyn Laverdiere’s homicide investigation appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court Friday.

Mavis Quinn Takakenew and Nikita Sandra Cook were appeared in court via closed-curicit television from Pine Grove Correctional Centre.

Takakenew, 55, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder. Cook, 31, of the Onion Lake Cree Nation, is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping connected to Laverdiere’s death. She is facing five other separate prior charges that pre-date the current ones.

Before Cook entered the private interview room at Pine Grove Correctional Centre for the CCTV conference, she said “hi” to Takakenew, who was leaving the room at the same time, even though Takakenew is one of the individuals she is ordered not to contact.

Judge Daniel O’Hanlon noticed this interaction and reminded Cook she is not to have any contact with Takakenew as part of her no contact order, which includes 25 names.

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Takakenew case was adjourned to Oct. 18 while Cook is back on Nov. 1

Both Takakenew’s and Cook’s separate legal counsel, who appeared by phone, said they have received some disclosure in the case but are still waiting for more information from the RCMP.

A substantive new batch of evidence in the onogoing homicide investigation is expected to be released to counsel at end of September, according to Crown prosecutor Chris Browne, who cited this at a previous court date as the reason behind adjournments at that time.

Six others are charged in Laverdiere’s death.

Soaring Eagle Whitstone, Nicole Cook, Shayla Orthner, Danita Thomas and Jesse Sangster are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle.

Nicole Cook is the mother of Tristen Cook-Buckle, whose funeral Laverdiere attended on April 27 on the Thunderchild First Nation.

Brent Checkosis is charged with accessory after the fact to murder, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle. Checkosis was seriously injured during a stabbing at the Saskatoon Provincial Correctional Centre on Aug. 22. On Sept. 6, Browne told court he is of the understanding Checkosis was unable to communicate with his defence lawyer at that time and there was no firm date for his recovery.

Laverdiere, 25, was reported missing on May 12 and last seen in North Battleford on May 1.

Human remains were found in a rural area outside of North Battleford on July 11 and confirmed to be the Edmonton woman on July 16.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW