MEADOW LAKE – All four people charged in 36-year-old Jeremy Ernest’s murder were remanded in custody after their first court appearance Thursday.
Trevor Alexander, 31, Hanna Durocher, 28, Tyson Lasas, 34, and Tasha Opikokew, 23, are scheduled back in Meadow Lake Court Dec. 5.
Meadow Lake RCMP say that Ernest was murdered on Waterhen Lake First Nation on Nov. 12. Police and paramedics were called to a home about 4:30 a.m. and Ernest was found injured. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Alexander, of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, Durocher, of Eagles Lake, and Lasas, of Waterhen Lake First Nation, were charged with second-degree murder. Opikokew, of Battleford, was charged with accessory after the fact.
At the time of the murder, Alexander was wanted by Beauval RCMP for incidents that occurred between Aug. 31 and Sept. 6 on Canoe Lake Cree First Nation. Police released his photo to the public and issued a warrant for his arrest on 22 firearms-related offences, forcible confinement, assault, six counts of uttering threats, sexual assault, criminal harassment, driving while prohibited and dangerous driving.
The North Battleford RCMP gang unit went to Meadow Lake to search for Alexander and determined that he was at a home in the Eagles Lake area. Police arrested him and three other people wanted on warrants by Saskatchewan RCMP.
Three days later, RCMP Major Crimes charged the four with Ernest’s murder.
— Click for more from Crime, Cops and Court.