EDMONTON - A call about an unknown truck in the driveway of a rural home led to new charges against Travis Vader, the accused in one of the province’s most closely-watched murder investigations.
RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Sharon Franks said RCMP were called at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday by the owner of a property in Carrot Creek, who reported that a truck they didn’t recognize was in their driveway. Franks says the truck was owned by Vader.
The 43-year-old was then arrested a short time later and charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and six counts of failing to comply with court-ordered conditions. According to information from Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, the charges include breaching a condition not to be in possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives or weapons; failing to comply with a condition not to have contact with a named person; and failing to comply with a condition not to be in possession of non-prescription drugs. Franks said she could not provide detail on the breach allegations.
Carrot Creek is an unincorporated community located between Peers and Niton Junction, about 160 kilometres west of Edmonton. Vader and his family are from the area, and the general location is also central to the murder investigation into the deaths of St. Albert seniors Lyle and Marie McCann, who disappeared while travelling through the area to visit their daughter in B.C. in July 2010.
The McCanns, aged 78 and 77, were last seen in St. Albert filling up their motorhome with gas on July 3, 2010.
The couple’s green 2006 Hyundai Tucson SUV was later found in the bush off the highway near Carrot Creek. Their burned motorhome was found at the Minnow Lake campground, about 45 minutes south.
Court documents allege the McCanns were killed near Peers, "on or about" the day they were last seen. Their remains have never been found.
RCMP publicly identified Vader as a suspect in the McCanns’ disappearance within weeks, but he was not charged in their deaths until April 2012. The murder charges were suddenly stayed in March 2014, weeks before his trial was set to begin, but were recommenced in December 2014.
The trial is now set for the spring of 2016.
It is not known whether Vader is currently living in the Carrot Creek area.
Vader had been back in the news last month, after being charged with assaulting his mother’s boyfriend for an alleged incident at Vader’s mother’s house in St. Albert.
His bail has been denied on the new charge, and he is slated to appear in court in Edson on March 17.
jpruden@edmontonjournal.com
Twitter.com/jana_pruden
