(file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Court proceedings

Preliminary hearings set for two suspects in Gatzke homicide

Jan 13, 2021 | 4:32 PM

Preliminary hearings have been set for two of the suspects in custody facing charges related to the death of Ryan John Gatzke in Battleford in 2019.

Jacob Ballantyne, Isaac Melko, Charles McLean and a youth at the time are facing several charges.

Jacob Joseph Ballantyne, 25, of Edam, is charged with second-degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carry a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, pointing a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and possession of a restricted firearm while prohibited.

Ballantyne’s case has been set for a preliminary hearing Oct. 18 at 9:30 a.m.

Isaac Melko, 22, of North Battleford, is charged with second-degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carry a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, possession of a firearm without a licence, and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle.

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Melko is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 25 at 9:30 a.m.

Charles Michael Lewis McLean, 23, of North Battleford is charged with manslaughter, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.

McLean’s case has been adjourned to March 10 to be spoken to.

The fourth suspect is an 18-year-old male North Battleford resident who was 17 years old at the time of incident and cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He is charged with second-degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carry a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, possession of a firearm without a licence, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and possession of a restricted firearm while prohibited. He is facing these charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Gatzke, 27, was found with serious injuries in a Battleford home on Oct. 18, 2019, and later declared deceased after being taken to hospital.

The allegations against the accused individuals have not been proven in court.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW