The criminal case involving a man accused of murdering his two young children is inching forward. Thursday, Crown prosecutor Carla MacPhail and defence lawyer Clayton Rice appeared before Justice S.E. Pepper to lock in dates for a preliminary inquiry. The accused did not appear in person or via CCTV. A preliminary inquiry is generally a means to test evidence before deciding whether to proceed with a trial. April 19-23, 2027, were scheduled for this inquiry. That will be just shy of a year after the incident. A publication remains in place, brought forward by the Crown to protect the identities of the young victims. By extension, it also covers the identity of the accused. The judge said the accused is to appear in court in person during April’s preliminary inquiry. The incident Investigators believe the man murdered his children shortly before midnight on April 29, then brought the bodies to police in northwest Calgary 10 hours later. It’s believed the slayings occurred somewhere between Calgary and Revelstoke, B.C. On the morning of April 30, police said they were dealing with “a serious incident” at 14 Street north of John Laurie Boulevard N.W. They said a five-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl were found dead inside a vehicle near the turnoff into the District 3 police station. The man was taken into custody at the scene and later charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Police said he’s the one who called them, and that he confessed.
