Accused killer Travis Vader denied bail on latest charges, breaches

By Pierre Royal

Accused killer Travis Vader was denied bail Monday on both his latest charges and for breaching the conditions of his release on his double murder charges.

Vader, 44, sat quietly in the prisoner’s box in orange Edmonton Remand Centre coveralls and showed no emotion as provincial court Judge Lloyd Malin rejected his bail application.

There is a court-ordered publication ban on all of the evidence and arguments heard during the bail hearing.

However, police earlier said Vader breached his bail conditions by allegedly failing a drug test and contacting a Crown witness from his murder trial. Police also allege he was involved in a copper wire and truck theft at a west-end industrial park when they arrested him.

Malin also ordered that Vader have no contact with his girlfriend, Samantha Dandeneault, who might be a witness relating to the new charges, and with the Crown witness, Donald Bulmer.

Vader was arrested May 10 after allegedly violating conditions of his bail. He was then charged with break and enter to commit theft, possession of stolen property under $5,000, breach of recognizance and breach of probation.

He is currently on trial for two counts of first-degree murder for the slayings of an elderly St. Albert couple.

Lyle McCann, 78, and Marie McCann, 77, were last seen on July 3, 2010, leaving a Superstore in St. Albert while en route to B.C. for a family camping vacation. Their bodies have never been found.

Two days later, their motorhome was found ablaze and abandoned at the Minnow Lake campground near Edson. The Hyundai SUV they were towing was found July 16, 2010, in the woods on a rural property just off 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.

The trial also heard evidence that Vader had sent several texts to his then-girlfriend using a cellphone that belonged to the McCanns.

The Crown alleges the seniors were murdered sometime in the early afternoon of July 3, 2010, in the Edson-Peers area, about one hour and 40 minutes driving time from Edmonton.

However, the defence called several witnesses who testified they saw the motorhome they believe was the McCanns’ at the Minnow Lake campground on the day after they were supposedly killed, with one woman claiming she saw Marie McCann outside the motorhome.

Another defence witness testified Vader was at her Edmonton home on the afternoon of the day the McCanns were allegedly slain.

Closing arguments in the murder trial are slated for June 22.