A jury of seven women and seven men has been chosen to hear the high-profile case of accused triple murderer Derek Saretzky.
It took the court just one hour to make the selection from a pool of approximately 100 people who showed up at court Thursday morning.
READ MORE: Derek Saretzky to go directly to trial for 3 counts of first-degree murder
Saretzky, 24, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Terry Blanchette and his two-year-old daughter Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette.
He’s also charged with first-degree murder in the death of 69-year-old Coleman resident Hanne Meketech.
In addition, Saretzky is accused of causing an indignity to Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette’s body.
All three were killed in the Crowsnest Pass in September 2015.
Blanchette was found dead inside his Blairmore, Alta. home but his two-year-old daughter wasn’t there. That prompted officials to issue an Amber Alert.
Hailey’s remains were later found in a rural area outside the community.
TIMELINE: Homicides of Hailey Dunbar-Blanchette, Terry Blanchette and Hanne Meketch
Earlier this month, Saretzky pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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The trial is scheduled to begin in early June, following pre-trial applications to determine the admissibility of some evidence.
Queen’s Bench Justice William Tilleman told the jurors: “nobody knows for sure how long the trial will last” but said he estimates four weeks.
In addition to the 14 jurors, two alternates were selected and will be dismissed at the start of the trial proper.
At the end of the trial, before deliberations, two more jurors will be dismissed. The final 12 will decide the fate of the accused.
The judge also warned the jury to avoid news coverage and stay off of social media.
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