Vader sentenced again but legal battle will continue.
Any hope of final closure for the relatives and friends of Lyle and Marie McCann who were last seen in the Edson area in 2010 during their holiday was dashed in the Alberta Court of Queen’s bench on January 25. The McCann’s remains have never been discovered.
Previously, Justice Denny Thomas convicted Travis Vader on two counts of second-degree murder of the couple but made an error in using a struck down law to do it.
This time Thomas convicted Vader on two counts of manslaughter instead. These charges could have meant a prison sentence for Vader of between four years and life. Thomas chose a rare global life sentence, which means that Vader might never be released from prison during his lifetime. On the other side of the coin, Vader, due to the time he has already spent in custody may be eligible for parole in under four years.
Reportedly Vader again professed his innocence of the charges and his lawyer, Brian Beresh told reporters that he intended to appeal both the verdict and sentence on behalf of his client. An appeal, which could go all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada means more mental agony for the McCann family and friends.
I have followed and reported on this case for nearly seven years now and it doesn’t look like ending anytime soon. There have been errors and blunders in the police and justice system all the way along. Aside from the human torture to those that held the McCanns dear to them I dread to think what this affair has and continues to cost Canadian tax payers. The cost meter is still running. Hopefully, lessons have been and will be learned although I fear that the Vader case may be set up as an example as to how a defendant, guilty or not, may play the legal system to their advantage.