NORTH BATTLEFORD — On Sept. 5, Saskatchewan RCMP charged an adult male in relation to a Dec. 24, 2021 double homicide in North Battleford.
Thirty-one-year-old Wade Frenchman from Moosomin First Nation is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in relation to the deaths of Alyssa LeCaine, 25, and Daphne Bear, 20.
Their bodies were discovered when, shortly before 4 p.m. Christmas Eve 2021, Battlefords RCMP responded to a report of a house fire on the 1000 block of 108th Street in North Battleford. North Battleford Fire Department was already on the scene when police arrived.
In a search of the property, North Battleford Fire Department located two deceased people, which resulted in a death investigation being started by police and the coroner. It was determined the victims died prior to and not as a result of the fire.
“On December 24, 2021, most people were getting ready to begin holiday celebrations. However, that’s when an absolutely senseless tragedy struck for the friends and family of Alyssa and Daphne, and for the Battlefords community at large. Our thoughts continue to be with these young women’s loved ones as we announce these charges today. It’s our hope that it will help provide some closure as they continue their grieving and healing processes,” says Supt. Josh Graham, officer in charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes. “This was a complex investigation, one that took time to complete. I’m grateful to our dedicated Major Crimes investigators, and our many partners, who conducted a thorough investigation that allowed us to support these first-degree murder charges.”
During the course of the investigation, Major Crimes worked with partners including: Saskatchewan RCMP’s Battleford detachment, North Battleford Forensic Identification Services, North Battleford Provincial General Investigation Services, Polygraph Section, Digital Forensic Services, Divisional Criminal Analytical Section; the Saskatchewan Coroners Service; City of North Battleford Fire and Emergency Services; and fire examiners with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.
Investigators obtained 15 judicial authorizations, interviewed approximately 160 witnesses, and gathered/processed more than 150 exhibits during the course of the investigation.
Wade Frenchman was arrested at the Saskatchewan Provincial Correctional Centre.
