The man accused in the murders of a Calgary mother and her 22-month-old daughter made a brief court appearance Tuesday.
Robert Leeming, 34, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of Jasmine Lovett, 25, and her 22-month-old daughter, Aliyah Sanderson.
He appeared in court Tuesday by CCTV from the Calgary Remand Centre, where he is being held, wearing a blue jumpsuit.
Leeming's appearance lasted only minutes and the case was adjourned until May 21.
“The first phase of the process is really to get disclosure,” said lawyer Lisa Burgis Der, who is representing Leeming along with Balfour Der.
“What the Crown must give defence is the police investigation file … whether it’s audio, video, photographs, forensics. All of that collection of data… will be given to the Crown then given to defence. Then defence will be combing over that, analyzing it for legal issues and defences."
Leeming is being held in segregation at the Remand Centre, said Burgis Der.
"That's a 23-hour lockup," she said.
The bodies of Lovett and Sanderson were found in a wooded area near Grizzly Creek, along Highway 40 west of Calgary, about 4 a.m. on May 6, three weeks after they were reported missing by family. Police have not said what led them to that area.
Search teams had previously been focused on areas along Highway 66 near Bragg Creek, which is a few kilometres east of where the bodies were located.
Leeming has told reporters he was Lovett’s landlord and the three of them had lived in a condo he owns in Cranston since October.
Lovett and Sanderson were reported missing April 23 after failing to show up for a family event and were last heard from on April 16.
Homicide Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta has said police believe the pair were killed on the evening of April 16 or morning of April 17 and their bodies transported to the area where they were found between April 17 and April 20.
Police also believe Lovett and Leeming were in a relationship and the deaths were “motivated by domestic-related matters,” said Schiavetta.
Police are still hoping to speak with anyone who saw a man in his 30s driving a grey Mercedes SUV in the area of Bragg Creek, Grizzly Creek or East Kananaskis between April 16 and 20.
Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide tip line at 403-428-8877 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.