Almost five years to the day after the body of an 18-year-old was found beaten in a burned-out triplex in Moncton, one of the accused killers who was previously on the run for more than two months made a court appearance in Moncton.
Marissa Shephard is accused of first-degree murder and arson with disregard for human life in the death of Baylee Wylie. His body was found in a New Brunswick housing unit on Sumac Street in Moncton almost five years ago to the day: Dec. 17, 2015.
She’s scheduled for a week-long pre-trial conference and voir dire, according to the Court of Queen’s Bench docket. The hearings are to discuss the admissibility of evidence ahead of a criminal trial, meaning details are under a publication ban.
Shephard wore a dark sweatshirt and a disposable mask; she sat quietly for the majority of the hearing, with a braided ponytail off to the side.
She read along with documents and occasionally consulted with Gilles Lemieux, her defence lawyer. She appeared to follow along closely as the court reviewed evidence from her first trial.
Two other people — Devin Morningstar and Tyler Noel — are already serving prison time on murder charges for their role in Wylie’s death.
Morningstar was convicted of first-degree murder. Noel pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
Shephard was on the run for more than two months, and a Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued. Police said public tips helped them locate her and take her into custody.
Her trial in 2018 lasted more than two months, but it only took the jury a few hours to return a guilty verdict on both charges.
But Shephard appealed — and won. A new trial was ordered in October 2019.
The New Brunswick Court of Appeal decision states that the trial judge, Justice Zoël Dionne, “committed various errors of law by allowing the jury to hear and consider inadmissible and highly prejudicial evidence.”
Shephard’s voir dire continues Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. She remains in custody.
A Court of Queen’s Bench spokesperson says 57 days have been set aside for her second trial, which is expected to start Aug. 3, 2021.