Two teenagers have pleaded guilty to the second degree murder of Lawrence Skoretz.
The youths, who cannot be named because they are under the age of 18, were scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Yorkton Provincial Court this morning (April 26) on first degree murder and robbery with violence charges. The Court adjourned several times to allow prosecutor Andrew Wyatt and defence attorneys Mervyn Shaw and Richard Yaholnitsky to hammer out the plea bargain.
Just before noon, both boys entered guilty pleas to the lesser included charge of second degree murder. The robbery charges were adjourned to be spoken to at a later date.
The co-counsels for the defence requested presentence reports to include whether the defendants were suitable candidates for the Intensive Rehabilitation Custody and Supervision Program (IRCS).
IRCS is a federal program that provides funding to provinces for "the delivery of specialized therapeutic programs and services for youth with mental health needs who are convicted of a serious violent offence."
Judge Ross Green ordered the presentence reports and scheduled a hearing for May 23 to determine when the IRCS reports will be available and schedule a sentencing hearing.
In December 2016, the Crown gave notice it would seek to have the teens sentenced as adults if they were convicted. There will also be a hearing to determine whether that will be the case.
Lawrence Skoretz, 67, was found unresponsive on Wellington Park Road, near his home, early on the morning of September 13 and pronounced dead on arrival at Yorkton Regional Health Centre. Following an investigation that included a police blockade of the wooded area between Sacred Heart High School and Hopkins Lake for several days, the two young people were arrested September 22 at a residence on Fourth Avenue North.
More than two dozen family members and supporters of the deceased man packed Yorkton Court Room 1 for the hearing, but so far have declined to talk to media.
In March, an adult woman, Desiree Musqua, was charged with robbery in connection to this case. Her next court appearance is May 16.
