On what was supposed to be the last day of Travis Vader’s sentencing hearing, the convicted killer’s lengthy, and at times combative, responses to the Crown prosecutor’s cross examination means the hearing will continue Monday.

Vader, 44, is convicted of two counts of manslaughter for the deaths of St. Albert couple Lyle and Marie McCann, aged 78 and 77. The couple’s disappearance sparked a police investigation and subsequent court process, which lead to Vader’s arrest and eventual conviction. The couple’s burnt-out motorhome was found near Edson, although human remains have never been found.

Now, it is up to Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Denny Thomas to determine a prison sentence for the convicted killer.

Crown prosecutor Ashley Finlayson began the hearing’s fifth day by challenging Vader’s claims that he was harassed by people working in the criminal justice system. In particular, Finlayson questioned the convicted killer’s statement that prison guards at Edmonton’s Remand Centre broke his wrist during a cell extraction in January 2011.



Marie and Lyle McCann celebrating a family Christmas in 2006. Supplied

​

Finlayson argued that there is little evidence that Vader experienced a broken wrist in 2011. The court hasn’t seen any medical records that state Vader had suffered a broken wrist and little documentation chronicling the broken wrist exists on Vader’s end.

Finlayson argued that Vader would have been more outspoken about his wrist had it been broken. Bringing the wrist to the guards’ attention would have been the "natural thing to do," added Finlayson.

In response, Vader said that he had filled out requests for interviews and medical forms, and had brought his wrist to the attention of the guards multiple times.

"The reporting system does not work in the remand centre," said Vader, adding that his efforts to garner attention for the broken wrist were ignored by the guards because they were the ones who inflicted the injury.

Vader’s lengthy and argumentative responses to Finlayson were often repetitive. After Vader’s lawyer raised concerns about repeated questioning, Thomas ordered Finlayson to move on.

At one point, Finlayson asked Vader to provide "relatively brief" answers.

"So you’re dictating how I need to answer the questions?" Vader retorted.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled to continue Monday.