Greg Fertuck stood in the prisoner’s box of Saskatoon provincial court on Wednesday, making his initial appearance on a first-degree murder charge for his estranged wife’s disappearance.
The 65-year-old also faces a charge of offering an indignity to the human remains of Sheree Fertuck. A court document states the woman, 51, was killed on or about Dec. 7, 2015 – the day she was last seen.
Her body has never been found.
Saskatchewan RCMP said Sheree was seen leaving her family’s farm east of Kenaston, which is about 70 kilometres south of Saskatoon. Her mother found the woman’s semi-truck parked at a nearby gravel pit off Highway 15 the following morning.
Her keys, cell phone and jacket were also there, according to Sheree’s mother.
In April 2016, police deemed the disappearance a homicide.
During Greg Fertuck’s brief appearance Wednesday, a judge granted the Crown’s request for a no-contact order with three of his family members ahead of his next appearance on July 22.
Crown prosecutor Cory Bliss said the family members could be called as witnesses.
“It’s very standard for the Crown to seek no contacts with various witnesses in the case, simply to protect the integrity of the investigation,” Bliss told reporters outside court.
Fertuck also has an impaired driving charge from December 2018 and a failure to appear charge before the court, according to the Crown.
The Crown opposes his release on all charges, and the 65-year-old remains in custody.
Greg Fertuck was arrested Monday evening just outside Saskatoon, but he’s been under investigation for years.
In a January 2016 production order, RCMP Cpl. Jeremy Anderson stated he had “reasonable grounds to believe” that Greg Fertuck murdered Sheree.
Fertuck denied the allegation.
In civil court proceedings, Sheree’s son Lucas Fertuck sought to maintain his mother’s estate. In an affidavit, he stated Greg Fertuck tried to cash in on joint investments he held with his former spouse.
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