A judge sentence Nathan Gervais to 15 months in jail on Monday after the man accused of murder missed his trial and left the country.
The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to breaching his bail and, with credit for time served, will spend approximately seven months in jail.
Gervais was scheduled to stand trial on a charge of first-degree murder in 2016 in connection with the swarming death of Lukas Strasser-Hird in 2013 but he failed to appear in court. A warrant was issued for Gervais’ arrest.
In November 2017, Gervais was arrested in Vietnam. The fugitive was returned to Canada in February 2018 and into the custody of the Calgary Police Service. The recovery of Gervais cost the CPS approximately $500,000.
The trial of Gervais on the charge of first-degree murder is scheduled for January 2019.
Three men have been convicted in connection with their roles in Strasser-Hird’s death.
Franz Emir Cabrera and Assmar Ryiad Shlah were found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Joch Pouk was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to seven years in prison.
