The man charged with the first-degree murder of a Nanaimo teen three years ago appeared by video in Nanaimo provincial court this morning.
Steven Michael Bacon has pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of Makayla Chang.
The 16-year-old disappeared in March 2017. Her body was found two months later.
Bacon, 60, is in custody on another charge at the Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene, Ont.
Although Bacon was expected to fix a date for a preliminary inquiry at today’s court appearance, defence lawyer Gilbert Labine asked for the case to be adjourned to Feb. 12 to allow him to review massive amounts of disclosure. Labine, who is based Thunder Bay, Ont., also asked whether jury trials are up and running in B.C., which they are.
Bacon was arrested in Fredericton, N.B., in September 2019 after Nanaimo RCMP made a Canada-wide appeal for help locating him as a person of interest in the case. He was charged with first-degree murder in Chang’s death.
An Ontario judge ordered that Bacon be confined to Thunder Bay District Jail and appear by video for the initial proceedings unless the presiding judge directs otherwise.
The Chang family was not present in court this morning.
