A man, Calvin Burns-Smith, facing a murder charge in connection with the death of a Rothesay woman in Musquash last year, is now set to stand trial for separate allegations of uttering threats against another woman. Burns-Smith, 31, appeared in court briefly on Tuesday to schedule trial dates for two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, on April 5 and April 17 in 2025.
Judge Kelly Winchester informed Burns-Smith that his trial is set for February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m. and that he would remain in police custody pending the trial. Burns-Smith pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were originally scheduled for trial in June but postponed at the request of his lawyer.
The murder trial for Burns-Smith, who was already in custody on the threat charges when arrested by RCMP in connection with the death of Sarah Teakles, is scheduled to commence on May 3. Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two, was found deceased on April 17 in Maces Bay, southwest of Saint John. Burns-Smith faces charges of second-degree murder and interference with human remains in relation to Teakles’ death.
Initially charged with manslaughter, Burns-Smith opted for a jury trial with a preliminary inquiry in July 2025. The charge was later elevated to second-degree murder, and a direct indictment was filed by the Crown, bypassing the preliminary inquiry stage. During a recent pre-trial conference, Burns-Smith elected to have a trial before a judge alone, with the consent of the Crown prosecutor. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated in early September.