By Andrew Bates, Telegraph-Journal, Local Journalism Initiative
The man charged with manslaughter in the death of Sarah Teakles has had his charge upgraded to second-degree murder.
Calvin Burns-Smith, 31, facing charges of manslaughter and indignity to or interference with human remains, was scheduled to appear Tuesday for a bail hearing in Saint John Provincial Court.
Instead, according to court documents, the Crown withdrew the manslaughter charge and laid a new charge of second-degree murder on or around April 14 relating to Teakles’ death.
Teakles, 26, of Rothesay, was reported missing after being last seen on April 14 in Musquash, 30 kilometres southwest of Saint John, the RCMP said at the time. Search teams found her body April 17 to the southwest in the Maces Bay area, police said.
Burns-Smith, of no fixed address, has chosen a judge and jury trial, according to court records. His preliminary inquiry is set from May 12 to 15 and May 19 next year.
The Crown will be seeking to combine the murder charge and indignity to human remains charge into one file, according to court documents.
His bail hearing was adjourned and he will be making an application to the Court of King’s Bench, the documents say.
Burns-Smith has also pleaded not guilty to two charges of uttering threats dated to April 5 and 17 in Saint John, which were also set for a bail hearing Tuesday.
He reserved his right to a hearing on those charges and a trial date was set for June 5, 2026, according to court records.
The charges against Burns-Smith have not yet been tested in court.
