A man charged with the murder of a woman from Rothesay in Musquash last year will face trial for separate accusations of making threats against another individual.
Calvin Burns-Smith, 31, appeared briefly in court on Tuesday morning to establish trial dates for two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, scheduled for April 5 and April 17 in 2025.
“Your trial is set for two days, Mr. Burns-Smith,” Judge Kelly Winchester stated during the appearance.
“On February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m. And you will remain in custody on these [charges],” she noted, indicating that Burns-Smith will continue to be held by the police.
Burns-Smith entered a not guilty plea to these allegations. He was initially slated for trial in June, but that date was postponed at his lawyer’s request.
Murder trial scheduled for May
Burns-Smith was already in the custody of Saint John police regarding the threat charges when he was arrested by RCMP on April 21 last year in relation to the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two.
The body of Teakles was discovered on April 17 in Maces Bay, located southwest of Saint John. Burns-Smith faces charges of second-degree murder and interference with or indignity to human remains. The trial for these offenses is set to commence on May 3.
According to previous statements from a family friend to CBC News, Teakles had been residing with her children, mother, and sister in Rothesay. She was last seen three days prior to the discovery of her body.
Sarah Teakles, 26, from the Saint John suburb of Rothesay, was found deceased on April 17, 2025, in Maces Bay. (Submitted by Cathy Dubee)
Burns-Smith was initially charged with manslaughter in connection with Teakles’ death and chose a jury trial with a preliminary inquiry set for July 2025. The charge was elevated to second-degree murder last August, and the Crown submitted a direct indictment, which skips the preliminary inquiry stage and brings the accused straight to trial.
During a pre-trial conference last month, Burns-Smith’s defense attorney Brian Munro informed the court that his client wished to change the trial format to one presided over by a judge alone. Crown prosecutor Elaina Campbell agreed to this modification.
Another pre-trial conference regarding the murder charge is anticipated to occur in early September.