Man accused of second-degree murder
A 26-year-old man alternated between glaring into the courtroom and struggling to control his emotions as he made his first appearance on Thursday in relation to the death of a 35-year-old man.
Brent Stacee Creely of Regina is facing a second-degree murder charge, as well as possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.
During the brief appearance at Regina provincial court, Creely — outfitted in blue coveralls issued by police, typically upon the seizure of a suspect’s clothing — occasionally rubbed at or held his head within heavily tattooed hands.
A defence lawyer appeared with him, asking that the charges be set over to next Thursday. Creely will remain in custody in the meantime, and was ordered not to contact a number of people — among them 33-year-old Richard William Snyder, who is facing a charge of possession of a firearm contrary to a prohibition order.
Snyder also appeared at court, initially stating he planned on representing himself. He changed his mind after the Crown told the court Snyder’s charge is connected to the same homicide investigation.
His charge was set over to Wednesday, by which time he will have had the opportunity to speak with a lawyer.
Court documents identify the man killed as Shawn Robert Coghill. A number of people attended court for Coghill, but declined to comment afterward.
The man’s body was found in a home on the 1100 block of Retallack Street early Wednesday morning.
According to information from the Regina Police Service, officers were dispatched at 1:13 a.m. to the house, where they found a man who was later confirmed dead by EMS. Other officers were called, and the scene — which was also attended by a coroner — was secured.
The homicide investigation — Regina’s fourth of 2018 — led to the arrests of Creely and Snyder.
Although both are facing firearms charges, police have not said if the victim was killed by a gunshot.
Creely has been before the court in the past for violence. In 2014, he received a three-year prison term (closer to four with remand credit factored in) for what a judge termed a “vicious, vicious assault.” Court heard Creely used a bat during a beating that left the 18-yearold victim with serious and extensive head and facial injuries.
Creely was initially charged with attempted murder, but instead pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.
At the time of his sentencing, court heard he planned on taking advantage of prison programming to help him “turn his life around.”
“He’s indicated to me in a moment of clarity that the life that he’s been living has led him nowhere,” his then-defence lawyer Noah Evanchuk told the court.