Teen charged in death of Tyson MacDonald has case set over to June

The case of the teen charged in the death of Tyson MacDonald was heard very briefly in a Prince Edward Island courtroom Thursday morning before it was once again adjourned.

Friends and family showed up wearing blue and yellow number eight hoodies — Tyson McDonald’s hockey number — as a sign of support for the family and as a call for justice in the teen’s murder.

His body was found in the woods after a five-day search at the end of last year.

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The lawyer for the teen who's charged with first-degree murder in the death spoke briefly in the Georgetown, P.E.I., courthouse on Thursday. The teen did not make an appearance.

The Crown is waiting on reports, which the prosecutor, Jeff MacDonald, said will be fundamentally important to how both prosecution and defence proceed with the case.

The matter was put over to June 6. The Crown said they expect to have all the disclosure and investigation, as well as the outcome of those reports, required to move forward.

The accused consented to remain in custody.

A second teen who originally was also charged with murder will appear in court Friday for sentencing after pleading guilty to charges related to obstruction of police during the search for Tyson MacDonald. That murder charge has been stayed.

That teen also remains in custody, despite attempts by the defence to secure bail.

Neither teen can be identified due to a publication ban under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The sentencing hearing is expected to last much of the day Friday with a number of victim and community impact statements to go on the record, an important part of the context the judge will use to make her decision. 

For more Prince Edward Island news visit our dedicated provincial page.