A man, Calvin Burns-Smith, accused of the murder of a woman in Rothesay in Musquash last year, is facing trial for separate charges of making threats against another woman. Burns-Smith, 31, appeared briefly in court on Tuesday to set trial dates for two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, scheduled for April 5 and April 17, 2025.
Judge Kelly Winchester informed Burns-Smith that his trial would take place over two days on February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m., and he would remain in police custody. Burns-Smith pleaded not guilty to these charges after his original trial date in June was postponed at his lawyer’s request.
In a separate case, Burns-Smith was already in police custody on threat charges when he was arrested by RCMP on April 21 last year in relation to the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two. Teakles was found deceased on April 17 in Maces Bay, with Burns-Smith facing charges of second-degree murder and interfering with human remains. The trial for these charges is set to commence on May 3.
According to a family friend’s previous statements to CBC News, Teakles had been residing in Rothesay with her children, mother, and sister. Burns-Smith was initially charged with manslaughter in connection with the case but later opted for a jury trial, leading to the charge being elevated to second-degree murder. The Crown proceeded with a direct indictment, skipping the preliminary inquiry phase and moving directly to trial.
During a recent pre-trial conference, Burns-Smith’s defense lawyer indicated his preference for a trial before a judge alone, which was approved by Crown prosecutor Elaina Campbell. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated to occur in early September.