Edmonton woman Tiki Laverdiere, 25, was last seen in North Battleford before her remains were discovered outside the city in 2019. (Submitted photo/Battlefords RCMP)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

RCMP investigation

Date for decision announced in trial for Laverdiere homicide

Mar 9, 2022 | 11:56 AM

The date for the judge’s decision in the trial for one of the individuals facing charges in the death of Tiki Laverdiere has now been set.

Danita Thomas, 34, of North Battleford, who previously entered a not guilty plea, is facing charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle.

Justice Richard W. Elson is scheduled to pronounce his decision March 25 at 1:30 p.m. at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Battleford. A private conference meeting was held on the matter March 8.

The counsels completed their closing arguments in the case Feb. 15.

The court ordered a publication ban on all details of the trial proceedings, including evidence and victim impact statements, until the judge or jury involving all the accused individuals have retired to consider their verdict.

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The Court of Queen’s Bench trial by judge alone was held at the Dekker Centre’s Lawrence Hall in North Battleford as the court house in Battleford is currently undergoing renovations.

Four other accused: Shayla Orthner, Soaring Eagle Whitstone, Nicole Cook and Jesse Sangster, are also facing charges connected to Laverdiere’s death and are scheduled for jury trials in 2022 and 2023.

Nicole is the mother of Tristen Cook-Buckle, whose funeral Laverdiere attended on April 27, 2019 on the Thunderchild First Nation.

Five other individuals: Nikita Cook, Samuel Takakenew, Charles St. Savard, Brent Checkosis and Mavis Takakenew, have previously been sentenced in the case.

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 of North Battleford on July 11, 2019 and confirmed to be the Edmonton woman on July 16 of that year.

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow