Travis Vader — on trial for killing an elderly St. Albert couple — was arrested on Tuesday for failing a random drug test, part of his bail conditions.
Vader, facing first-degree murder charges in the deaths of 78-year-old Lyle and 77-year-old Marie McCann, was arrested Tuesday night for failing a random drug test and contacting a witness in the case, Donald Bulmer.
According to court documents, the drug test was done on May 5 and it came back positive for methamphetamine. The alleged contact with Bulmer, who used to live with Vader and was one of the Crown’s last witnesses, is to have occurred between March 12 and April 17.
Vader, 44, appeared in court on the breach of charges wearing orange Edmonton Remand Centre coveralls.
He shook his head several times while briefly standing in the prisoners’ box, but did not say anything. Student lawyer Stacey Purser reserved election on the charges on behalf of Vader and the matter was adjourned to May 18. Bail was not addressed.
The McCanns were last seen July 3, 2010, leaving a Superstore in St. Albert. Two days later, their motorhome was found ablaze and abandoned at a campground by Minnow Lake, near Edson. Peers is north of Edmonton.
The Hyundai SUV they were towing was found July 16, 2010, in the woods on a rural property just off of Highway 16 east of Edson.
The trial has heard police found Vader’s DNA, blood and fingerprints in the SUV as well as blood spatter from the McCanns. Their bodies have not been found.
