Alliston woman accused of accessory after the fact to murder granted $50k bail

Krystal Carleton, 36, of Alliston accused of being an accessory after the fact to murder has been granted bail.

An Alliston, Ont., woman accused of being an accessory after the fact to murder has been granted bail.

Thirty-six-year-old Krystal Carleton will be released to loved ones who pledged $50,000 to secure her bail under strict conditions, including house arrest and a GPS ankle monitor.

“We think that was the right decision by the judge,” said defence lawyer Christopher Hicks. “We think that she deserves to be at liberty pending our trial.” Hicks described Carleton as having full support from family members while she faces very serious allegations, adding he is pleased the Crown consented to his client’s release from jail six months following her arrest this past summer. She is also charged with committing an indignity to a dead body.

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Court documents obtained by CTV News revealed police believe Carleton helped her co-accused John, also known as Eddy, Gagnon, 31, and Brendon Blanchard, 25, escape between April 16 and 20, 2023. Gagnon and his brother-in-law, Blanchard, have each been charged with second-degree murder and committing an indignity to the body of 34-year-old Derek Perry three years ago in Alliston.

Perry had been reported missing in June 2023. Last summer police said Perry’s disappearance became a homicide investigation but would not reveal whether Perry’s remains have been found. Both Gagnon and Blanchard remain behind bars.

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Blanchard, who has convictions for mischief, theft, and uttering threats and was previously arrested in late 2024, returns to court Wednesday to answer to mischief and shoplifting charges.

A preliminary hearing for Blanchard, Gagnon, and Carleton is set to begin in August.

“It’s murder allegations, so, yes, it will go to trial,” said Hicks as he left the Barrie courthouse Monday afternoon.

Carleton is scheduled to return to a virtual Bradford courtroom in late March; the allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.