2018-11-30 Travis Vader seeks new trial in deaths of missing Alberta couple | CBC News

Published by Bretton McCann,

Lawyers seek new trial for Travis Vader in deaths of missing Alberta couple

Defence attorneys claim mistakes were made by original trial judge

CBC News · Posted: Nov 30, 2018 11:50 AM MT | Last Updated: November 30
Travis Vader was given a life sentence in 2017 in the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann. (CBC )

Lawyers for a man convicted of killing two Alberta seniors whose bodies have never been found have asked for a new trial.

Travis Vader was sentenced in January 2017 to life in prison for manslaughter in the deaths of Lyle and Marie McCann.

The lawyers have asked the Court of Appeal of Alberta for a new trial on the grounds that there were a number of errors made during the original one.

They argued in court Friday that the trial took too long and say the convictions should be stayed.

The lawyers said the judge mistakenly used an outdated section of the Criminal Code, and later substituted manslaughter for the original verdict of second-degree murder.

The McCanns, who were in their late 70s, vanished in 2010 after leaving their St. Albert home to go camping in British Columbia.

The appeal court has reserved its decision.