Accused pleads guilty to accessory after the fact in Tiki Laverdiere murder

By Angela Brown, battlefordsNOW

Brent Checkosis, one of the eight accused connected to the Tiki Laverdiere homicide investigation, entered a guilty plea to one of his charges in Queen’s Bench Court in Battleford Friday.

Checkosis pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to the murder of Laverdiere on May 1 in North Battleford.

He did not enter any plea to the outstanding charges of improperly interfering with a human body and theft of a motor vehicle.

Justice Gerald Allbright ordered a pre-sentence report to be prepared, with consideration of Gladue factors as Checkosis is Indigenous.

Victim impact statements will also need to be submitted.

Checkosis’ defence attorney George Thurlow said his client would need to have consideration for physical injuries he incurred in a recent stabbing attack at a Saskatoon prison.

Checkosis will return to court Feb. 10 for sentencing.

Outside of the courthouse, appearing emotional, Laverdiere’s mother Carol Laverdiere said she is “glad somebody is owning up to what they did to Tiki.”

Laverdiere, 25, was reported missing on May 12. She was last seen in North Battleford on May 1. Human remains were found in a rural area outside of North Battleford on July 11 and confirmed to be the Edmonton woman on July 16.