Court date set for accused Calgary killer Nathan Gervais

Three weeks in May 2019 have been set aside to hear the case of accused Calgary killer Nathan Gervais.

Gervais is charged with the first-degree murder of Lukas Strasser-Hird.

Strasser-Hird, 18, was swarmed, kicked, beaten and stabbed to death outside of Vinyl nightclub in November 2013.

WATCH BELOW: Police reveal details of arrest of accused Calgary killer Nathan Gervais, found on the run in Vietnam

1:45 Police reveal details of arrest of accused Calgary killer Nathan Gervais, found on the run in Vietnam

Gervais, 22, was supposed to be under 24-hour house arrest while awaiting trial, but he took off just one week before jury selection.

Police said he wasn’t at his home when officers checked up on him on April 16, 2016.

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A Canada-wide warrant had been in place ever since.

READ MORE: Accused Calgary killer Nathan Gervais arrested while on the run in Vietnam

While Gervais lost his right to a jury trial in light of skipping town, the Crown has elected to pursue the matter with a jury.

Defence attorney Alain Hepner told the court he’d prefer for the matter to be tried by judge-alone. The Crown said they’d consider the change and will let the court know their preference at an appearance on March 23.

READ MORE: Police reveal details of arrest of accused Calgary killer Nathan Gervais, found on the run in Vietnam

In June 2016, a jury found Assmar Shlah and Franz Cabrera guilty of second-degree murder in the case. Joch Pouk was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

– With files from Global News’ Nancy Hixt