Michael Joel-Hansen
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
A Saskatoon man on trial for first-degree murder in the death of Taya Rae Anne Sinclair has been hospitalized mid-trial.
Michael Smillie’s lawyer, Blaine Beaven, confirmed his client is experiencing a serious respiratory issue and will be in hospital until at least the end of the week. Smillie was last in court on Monday.
His Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench trial, which began on Jan. 12 and was scheduled to resume Thursday, has been bumped to Feb. 5.
Smillie, 58, is accused in the killing of Sinclair, 24, who was reported missing in Saskatoon on March 14, 2022. Her remains were found the next day in Prince Albert.
The trial was initially delayed to give a pathologist who performed Sinclair’s autopsy more time to review the autopsy report. The pathologist is set to be the Crown’s final witness.
Smillie is one of three people who were charged in Sinclair’s death, and the last before the court.
Stephanie Halkett-Stevenson, who testified at Smillie’s trial, is serving an 18-year sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter. She said she took the victim from an apartment to Smillie’s house, where witnesses say Sinclair was found dead in a basement.
On Wednesday, Chelsey Wilma Crowe was given a nine-and-a-half year sentence after pleading guilty to assault and confinement charges involving Sinclair and her boyfriend, Kenneth Bell.
