BATTLEFORD – No trial date has been set yet for three men and a youth accused of killing 27-year-old Ryan Gatzke more than two years ago.
Isaac Melko, 24, Jacob Ballantyne, 26, Charles McLean, 24, and a young offender who can’t be identified in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act were arrested in May 2020 following an eight-month police investigation.
McLean, Ballantyne, and Melko have pre-trial conferences scheduled for Jan. 21 in Battleford Court of Queen’s Bench. Pre-trial conferences are generally held when the accused are to be tried with a jury. The counsel and prosecutor attend the pre-trial conference in Chambers to informally discuss matters that may arise during the trial and defense discloses any motions they intend to make.
The charge against the young offender are still at the provincial court level.
Melko, who is from North Battleford, is charged with second-degree murder, carrying a rifle for the purpose of committing an indictable offence, possession of a rifle without a license, having his face masked with intent to commit an indictable offence, being an occupant of a Pontiac G5 knowing there was a shotgun, rifle and handgun, and break and enter of a house in Battleford with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Ballantyne, who is from Edam, is charged with second-degree murder, pointing a handgun at his co-accused, break and enter of a house in Battleford with intent to commit an indictable offence, carrying a handgun for the purpose of committing an indictable offence, possession of a handgun without a license, having his face masked with the intent to commit an indictable offence, being an occupant of a Pontiac G5 knowing there was a shotgun, a rifle, and a handgun.
McLean is charged with manslaughter, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, and a firearms offence.
The young offender is charged with second-degree murder.
Police found a badly injured Gatzke in a house in Battleford in October 2019. He was taken to the North Battleford hospital where he was declared deceased.
The charges against Melko, Ballantyne, McLean, and the young offender haven’t been proven in court.
A trial date hasn’t been set for any of the co-accused.
