Calvin Burns-Smith, aged 31, appeared in court on Tuesday morning to set trial dates for two charges of making threats of causing death or bodily harm on April 5 and April 17 in 2025. Judge Kelly Winchester scheduled a two-day trial for Burns-Smith on February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m., informing him that he would remain in police custody.
Burns-Smith pleaded not guilty to the charges, which led to the postponement of his original trial date in June at the request of his lawyer. Prior to his arrest by the RCMP on April 21 last year, Burns-Smith was already in custody on unrelated charges brought by the Saint John police.
The charges are related to the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two, whose body was discovered on April 17 in Maces Bay, southwest of Saint John. Burns-Smith faces accusations of second-degree murder and tampering with human remains. The murder trial is set to commence on May 3.
Teakles had been residing in Rothesay with her children, mother, and sister, as disclosed by a family acquaintance to CBC News. She was last seen alive three days before her body was found by the RCMP.
Initially charged with manslaughter in connection to Teakles’ death, Burns-Smith opted for a jury trial following a preliminary inquiry in July 2025. However, the charge was elevated to second-degree murder in August, prompting a direct indictment by the Crown, fast-tracking Burns-Smith to trial without a preliminary inquiry.
During a recent pre-trial discussion, Burns-Smith’s defense counsel, Brian Munro, indicated his client’s preference for a trial before a judge alone. Crown prosecutor Elaina Campbell agreed to this change. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated to take place in early September.