The Standard (St. Catharines)

Former CFL player accused in cold-case murder

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VANCOUVER — A former wide receiver with the Canadian Football League’s B.C. Lions has made his first court appearance following a charge of seconddegr­ee murder more than nine years after a woman’s death.

Joshua Boden’s lawyer said outside provincial court Monday his client intends to plead not guilty in connection with the death of 33-year-old Kimberly Hallgarth, whose body was found in a Burnaby, B.C., home in March 2009.

Lawyer Kevin Westell wouldn’t comment on his client’s reaction to the charge coming so long after Hallgarth was discovered dead.

“All I’m prepared to say is that these allegation­s have been out in the media the entirety of that time,” Westell said. “Mr. Boden has been unwavering in his denial of his guilt.”

Westell said he and his cocounsel have not yet received disclosure from the Crown and will review the material before Boden is expected back in court on Dec. 10.

Boden was arrested on Friday and will remain in custody. Westell would not say if he will apply for bail.

The Integrated Homicide Investigat­ion Team announced the charge against Boden a few hours before he appeared in court Monday.

Insp. Dave Chauhan, the acting officer in charge of the homicide team, said “excellent foundation­al work” was done by the original investigat­ors and a review by a cold-case team led to the approval of charges by B.C.’s prosecutio­n service.

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