LAVERDIERE MURDER CASE
Number of suspects ‘highly unusual’: criminologist
With three women facing first-degree murder charges, two men facing charges of accessory after the fact and police hoping to lay more charges in the death of an Edmonton woman found slain in Saskatchewan, a former criminologist is calling the case highly unusual.
Tiki Brook-lyn Laverdiere, 25, went missing on May 12 after travelling to Saskatchewan to attend the funeral of Tristen Cook-buckle, 20, who was found slain in Vegreville in April. Laverdiere’s body was found July 11 outside North Battleford, Sask., and her death was ruled a homicide. The investigation into her killing has led to five people being charged, including Cook-buckle’s mother.
“It is a case for the Hardy Boys for sure,” said Keith Spencer, a retired criminology professor from the University of Alberta, referencing the crime novels. “Usually, in these kinds of cases where there’s a family or emotional connection, there’s usually one person or sometimes two. This is highly unusual.”
Cpl. Rob King, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan RCMP, on Friday echoed Spencer’s sentiments, saying the number of people involved is unusual. He added that the investigation into Laverdiere’s case is still underway and investigators hope to lay more charges.
Cook-buckle was found slain in a vehicle near Vegreveille on April 5. Edmonton city police took over his homicide investigation after connecting his DNA to blood found behind an Edmonton home near 92 Street and 110 Avenue. No charges have been laid in connection to that killing, the city’s 11th of 2019.
Cook-buckle’s mother, Nicole Cook, had called for Laverdiere’s safe return, asking for people to come forward with information. In a now deleted Facebook post from May 21, she said she loved Laverdiere and was still holding out hope she would return home.
“It’s quite an extended web of people,” said Spencer, adding it’s especially unusual to have multiple women charged in relation to the same homicide.
“The police tend to charge to the maximum to get the court’s attention that this is a serious matter. The police can withdraw those charges if they maybe co-operate or something. There’s a kind of negotiation around the charges and lawyers will negotiate with the Crown around the reduction of charges and maybe even eliminate the charges.”
Spencer noted that he is speaking in generalities and that the case is still before the court.
Nicole Cook, 36, is facing charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and vehicle theft.
Shayla Orthner, 27 and Danita Thomas, 32, are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle.
Jesse Sangster, 23, is charged with vehicle theft and being an accessory after the fact to murder. Brent Checkosis, 18, is facing charges of accessory after the fact, improperly interfering with a human body and vehicle theft.
Cook and Sangster made their first court appearance in North Battleford provincial court Friday.