Tiki Laverdiere (Supplied photo/RCMP)

By Angela Brown

In the courts

Eighth suspect in Tiki Laverdiere homicide investigation appears in court

Aug 16, 2019 | 11:12 AM

Before leaving the court room, the eighth suspect in Tiki Brook-Lyn Laverdiere’s homicide turned to the gallery and shouted “justice will prevail.”

Mavis Quinn Takakenew, 55, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder.

Judge Murray Pelletier ordered the North Battleford woman to have no contact with a long list of individuals who could offer evidence or be co accused in the case.

Takakenew still needs to obtain legal counsel.

Her case was adjourned to Sept. 13 at 11:30 a.m. via closed-circuit television.

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Outside of court, Crown prosecutor Chris Browne said he can’t comment on the high number of individuals facing charges in the case.

“The RCMP does their investigation,” he said. “They charge the individuals they feel are involved in matters like this. That process comes to the court. We prosecute the individuals we believe are involved.The number is not overly relevant in our regard. We will continue to do our job and seek justice.”

Wearing red T-shirts, the symbolic colour to recognize missing and murdered Indigenous women, about a dozen individuals attended court to show their support for Laverdiere’s family, and that of missing North Battleford woman Ashley Morin.

Krista Fox, who is a family friend of Morin, was once again among the crowd. She said the supporters “hope and pray” that through the court process, they may indirectly gain some information on Morin’s whereabouts.

“We dearly love both mothers,” she said. “We hope to try to help them find some peace somewhere in this terrible situation. We will keep coming back. I have no doubt that we are not finished yet.”

In response to Takakenew’s comment, Fox said, “justice will prevail, and I have not doubt that it will be in Tiki’s favour.”

Police continue to search for Nikita Sandra Cook, from the Onion Lake Cree Nation, in relation to the investigation. Cook, who is wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, is facing charges for first-degree murder and kidnapping.

Four others – Soaring Eagle Whitstone, Nicole Cook, Shayla Orthner and Danita Thomas – are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle in connection to Laverdiere’s death.

Jesse Sangster, 23, was arrested in Edmonton on July 28. He is facing charges for accessory after the fact to murder and theft of a motor vehicle.

Brent Checkosis, 18, is facing charges for accessory after the fact to murder, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle.

Laverdiere was reported missing on May 12 and last seen in North Battleford on April 29.

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

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow