Crown to seek adult sentence for man accused in 2006 Regina Beach killing
The Crown has raised the stakes for the man accused of murdering Misha Pavelick in 2006 by announcing its intention to seek an adult sentence, should the accused man be convicted.
Crown prosecutor Adam Breker filed a notice of intention to that end in Regina provincial court on Thursday morning.
The 35-year-old man, who stands accused of second-degree murder in the historic case, cannot be named in keeping with the Youth Criminal Justice Act, as he was a youth at the time of the alleged offence.
The accused was present in court and stood before Judge Anna Crugnale-reid as the prosecutor made her aware of the Crown's intent.
The notice comes after a lengthy adjournment in the case, and preceded another adjournment as lawyers seek to formalize the process of setting dates for a preliminary inquiry.
The case dates back to the May long weekend in 2006, when a fight broke out between party crashers and guests at a high school gathering in a campground near Regina Beach. That was when Pavelick, 19, was stabbed to death.
When the charge was announced in June 2023, the RCMP would provide no specifics regarding what led to the man's June 24 arrest in Regina, and refused to answer a question about how long he'd been a suspect in the case.
In a 2020 statement, the RCMP said the majority of people present during the incident were teenagers or young adults at the time. Investigators were said to know these individuals had information regarding Pavelick's death, but were initially too scared to come forward.
The national police force also launched its own podcast about Pavelick's unsolved homicide called “Who Killed Misha Pavelick?”
The goal of the podcast was to get those with information to come forward, but RCMP would not comment on whether it had resulted in a turning point in the police investigation.
Sgt. Maj. Darryl Milo, the officer in charge of the Saskatchewan RCMP'S Historical Case Unit, told reporters the public will “see the details unfold through the court process.”
No further details have yet publicly emerged, as the case is still in its initial stage within the court process.
Members of Misha's family, including his father Lorne Pavelick, have dutifully attended the accused
man's appearances in provincial court.
Thursday's appearance was no exception.
At the time the charge was laid, the RCMP stated the investigation was still open and asked anyone with information to come forward.