Saturday, Sep 08, 2012 06:00 am

By: Megan Sarrazin

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Travis Edward Vader, the man accused of killing St. Albert couple Lyle and Marie McCann, may soon get a break on a series of drug- and firearm-related charges.

Vader, 40, was convicted in May of eight charges, which are now in question after Crown prosecutor Michelle Doyle conceded full disclosure was not provided to defence counsel.

"There was a reference to statements of two civilian witnesses that had not been previously disclosed to the defence," she said. "I did not know about the statements, so we took a break and we confirmed that these statements existed and had not been disclosed."

Doyle said if she had known about the statements to police, they would have been disclosed.

Vader was set to be sentenced Aug. 31 for stealing a truck, possession of an illegal gun and trafficking methamphetamines – all of which stemmed from a June 2010 offence near Barrhead.

His defence lawyer, Anna Konye, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Sentencing was adjourned until Oct. 19, at which time Konye can apply for a mistrial or to have the charges stayed.

Vader hired Konye toward the end of May and she is expected to defend him in the McCann murder trial.

He is currently being held without bail in connection with the McCann killings and is set to appear in an Edson courtroom Sept. 18.

The couple was last seen on July 3, 2010 as they departed St. Albert in their motorhome to visit family in British Columbia.

The burnt-out shell of the motorhome was found at a campground near Edson on July 5 and Vader was named a suspect a few weeks later.

He was formally charged with first-degree murder on April 18 of this year – nearly two years after he was named a suspect in the killings. He has been in police custody since July 19, 2010 on unrelated charges.

Vader will face a preliminary inquiry, with a date expected to be set Sept. 18.

Preliminary inquiries require the Crown to present its case to the judge, who then determines if evidence is sufficient to warrant a trial. It is the first step in serious criminal cases.

Vader made his first court appearance on the murder charges on May 15, but has since reserved plea.