‘Ottawa’ Travis Vader Verdict Won’t Stand, Say Some Legal Experts — Latest Twist in Troubled Murder Case
As an Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench justice wrapped up the lengthy, sometimes chaotic Travis Vader murder trial by handing down a second-degree murder guilty verdict Thursday, his decision was already under fire from some criminal law experts.
Justice Denny Thomas commended the RCMP for a job well done, months after describing parts of the investigation as “bungling” in a different decision.
“I became increasingly impressed by how the RCMP investigation of Mr. Vader wove a credible, albeit circumstantial web where Mr. Vader was the obvious suspect,” Thomas wrote.
Earlier this year, Thomas denied a defence application to have the charge against Vader judicially stayed, following a lengthy abuse of process hearing, but said it had been a “very close call.”
The massive investigation into the McCanns’ 2010 disappearance involved 600 police officers and multiple undercover operations.