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

By Angela Brown

RCMP investigation

Three of accused to stand trial for charges in death of Tiki Laverdiere

Sep 28, 2020 | 4:18 PM

Three more of the accused are now scheduled to stand trial for charges related to the death of Tiki Laverdiere last year.

To date, in total eight accused are facing charges and two individuals have been sentenced.

Soaring Eagle Whitstone, Shayla Orthner, and Danita Thomas are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle. They are scheduled for trials at Queen’s Bench Court in Battleford two years from now.

Whitstone elected trial by jury at Queen’s Bench Court in Battleford. Trial dates have been scheduled from Aug. 29 to Sept. 30, 2022. Her initially scheduled preliminary hearing on Nov. 2, 2020, was waived.

Orthner is scheduled for a jury trial from April 4 to May 6, 2022.

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Thomas is also scheduled for a jury trial, from Jan. 24 to March 4, 2022. Her initially scheduled preliminary hearing set for Nov. 30, 2020, was waived.

Nikita Cook is already scheduled to a jury trial at Court of Queen’s Bench in Battleford next year, from Jan. 11 to March 5, 2021, for first-degree murder and kidnapping charges.

Jesse Sangster is currently in the midst of a three-week preliminary hearing at North Battleford Provincial Court that started Monday, to determine if there is enough evidence to stand trial. He is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle.

Nicole Cook is scheduled for an upcoming private pre-trial meeting at Queen’s Bench Court on Oct. 30. No trial dates have been set for her yet. She is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle. Nicole is the mother of Tristen Cook-Buckle, whose funeral Laverdiere attended on April 27, 2019 on the Thunderchild First Nation.

Samuel Takakenew, charged with accessory after the fact to murder, is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court again on Oct. 23.

Charles St. Savard, facing a charge of first-degree murder and kidnapping, is due back in North Battleford provincial court on Oct. 23.

All of the accused remain in custody.

Brent Checkosis and Mavis Takakenew were sentenced in May, 2020 after pleading guilty to charges of accessory after the fact to murder. Checkosis was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Takakenew received 18 months incarceration.

Laverdiere, 25, was reported missing on May 12, 2019. She was last seen in North Battleford on May 1, 2019. Human remains were found in a rural area outside North Battleford on July 11, 2019, and confirmed to be the Edmonton woman July 16, 2019.

—

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW