Appeal of Derek Saretzky’s murder conviction in Crowsnest Pass dismissed

Referring to Meketech, the appeals court says Saretsky “selected her as a target because he thought being elderly and living alone, she would not be missed, and because he needed the practice.” She was killed by the use of a bat and knife.

Saretsky killed Blanchette “by repeatedly hitting him over the head with a crowbar and then cutting his throat with a knife. He had intended to drink Mr. Blanchette’s blood but could not as he forgot to bring a suitable container with him.”

Shortly afterwards, Saretsky found Hailey sleeping upstairs. “He took the child and carried her to his vehicle with a pillow over her mouth to muffle any cries. He went to a remote acreage that his aunt owned and strangled her there. He then dismembered her body and engaged in an act of cannibalism. Thereafter, he threw the pieces of her body into a bonfire and returned home.”

He was convicted in August 2017 on all three counts and received an automatic life sentence with parole ineligibility for 75-years.

In February 2020, Saretsky’s lawyer Balfour Der attempted to appeal the convictions, claiming that the appeal was based on statements Saretzky made to the police and whether his confession was properly taken by the police.

Initially, he appealed all of the convictions and the sentence, but two of the conviction appeals were later abandoned.

“The grounds of appeal arise from Sgt. McCauley’s failure to advise the appellant of his right to counsel when speaking with him on March 2, 2016, the day the appellant confessed to the Meketech killing. Specifically, the appellant argues the trial judge wrongly decided that the police were not required to remind him of his s. 10(b) Charter rights as he was not then detained.”

In their conclusion, the panel of three appeal court judges declared that, “The trial judge found that the appellant was not detained at anytime during his meeting with Sgt. McCauley on March 2, 2016, and therefore did not have to be reminded of his s. 1 0(b) rights. Those findings were well supported by the evidence and are entitled to deference.”

“As to the trial judge’s assessment of s. 24(2), I agree with his conclusion that on considering all of the circumstances of this case, the appellant’s confession would not have been excluded. Accordingly, the appeal is dismissed.”

Saretsky still looks to appeal the life sentence. A date for when that will take place is not yet known.

by David Opinko

Appeal of Derek Saretzky’s murder conviction in Crowsnest Pass dismissed

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