Charge Laid In Decades-Old Sudden Death
Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 15:38
The RCMP have made an arrest in a 33-year-old cold case in northern Saskatchewan.
Yesterday, a 67-year-old Prince Albert man appeared in provincial court on charges of manslaughter in connection to the death of a Montreal Lake band member.
Police allege William George LaFaver caused the death of 27-year-old Caroline Roberts.
She died in 1975 after emergency crews responded to a call for help at a cabin in Prince Albert National Park.
When they got there, they found Roberts unconscious and suffering from head injuries.
She was taken to the Big River hospital, where she later died.
An inquest concluded she died after hitting her head on a stove in the cabin.
Sgt. Richard Whatham says new evidence has come to light, but he can’t get into specifics.
However, he says it was the Mounties’ historical crimes unit that opened the file earlier this year.
LaFaver has been released from custody until his next court appearance on March 5th in Prince Albert.
A spokesman for the Montreal Lake Cree Nation says no one there is surprised to hear Roberts’ death might not have been an accident.
Noland Henderson says people have felt for years that the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death didn’t make sense.
However, Henderson acknowledges the arrest still comes as a surprise.
He also hopes the arrest provides some closure for the family.