Defense and Crown lawyers appeared at the Salmon Arm courthouse on Tuesday.
Twenty-five-year-old Matrix Gathergood’s defence waived his right to have a preliminary hearing.
Gathergood has been charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Gathergood allegedly shot and killed 78-year-old Gordon Parmenter and injured another during a Sunday morning service in Salmon Arm in April.
Witnesses told Global News that Gathergood was wrestled to the ground at the murder scene by parishioners before being arrested by police.
A psychiatric report of Gathergood’s mental state was also given to both the Crown and defence lawyers but was not released to the public.
The next appearance in court is scheduled for Feb. 4, 2020, at the Supreme Court in Salmon Arm, where the court will be setting a date for the murder trial, if needed.
Gathergood has also been charged with arson connected to a fire at Gordon Parmenter’s home on March 14, 2019.
The fire was one month prior to the shooting at a Salmon Arm church.
At the time, Salmon Arm RCMP Staff Sgt. Scott West said at least one of the victims was known to the accused, and that the shooting wasn’t believed to be religiously motivated.
Comments