WESTLOCK – The 20-year-old man who faces a second-degree murder charge in relation to a June 2020 incident that resulted in the death of a 41-year-old Westlock man remains behind bars at the Edmonton Remand Centre and is still awaiting legal representation.
Appearing in Westlock Provincial Court June 22 via CCTV from the ERC, Eddy Michael Trindle confirmed that he has been in contact with Legal Aid and listed off a couple of lawyers to Judge Michèle Collinson — duty counsel Gail Gerhart, who asked the case to be put over to June 29, told the judge she’ll follow up with duty counsel support to have a lawyer in place ASAP “given the nature of charge.”
Also, during the brief, three-minute court appearance, Judge Collinson agreed to add Mable Alook to a no-contact order with Trindle as Crown prosecutor Barry Loutit said the woman “is a potential witness in this matter.”
Case background
On June 7 following a lengthy, 24-month investigation by the Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit, Trindle was charged with second-degree murder — when arrested he was an inmate at the ERC.
At 10:30 a.m. June 9, 2020, Westlock RCMP received a call that a body had been found in the front lobby of one of the Westlock Estates buildings at 10540-103rd Street. The RCMP Major Crimes Unit was called in to assist and interviewed area residents, while a canine team searched the neighbourhood.
An autopsy was conducted June 11, 2020, by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Edmonton and RCMP confirmed the death was a homicide. As part of the June 9 release announcing the charge against Trindle, RCMP revealed that the victim was 41-year-old Westlock resident Barry Wheadon — until then the name of the victim had not been released.
