Trevor LaPlante’s friends and family quietly wept after hearing that the man accused of killing him will stand trial for second degree murder.
Nearly a dozen of LaPlante’s family and their supporters were at Prince Albert Provincial Court Monday afternoon to hear Judge Steven Schiefner deliver his verdict. They sat quietly as Schiefner outlined his reasons for committing Michael Robert Bird to trial.
Evidence presented during the preliminary hearing is subject to a publication ban. Bird’s next appearance is at the Court of King’s Bench on Friday to discuss a trial date.
Bird sat quietly in a grey long-sleeved shirt and stared straight ahead during the proceedings. Two sheriffs sat with him in the dock. He rose only to interact with his lawyer, and left quickly following the decision.
LaPlante was found unconscious on the 500 Block of 18th Street East the afternoon of July 22, 2024. LaPlante was not breathing when he was found, the Prince Albert Police Service reported in a press release, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Bird was arrested on July 23.
LaPlante was a popular member of the community who was well-known for his decades of work at McDonald’s and Burger King, and his presence at Prince Albert Raiders games.
His death led family, friends, and community members to hold a rally outside the provincial court house on Aug. 7, 2024. Following Bird’s court appearance, the crowd walked towards the downtown core for another rally at City Hall.
LaPlante was 52-years-old.
–with files from Michael Oleksyn/Daily Herald
