Three people are to appear at Barrhead Provincial Court on Nov. 26 after the alleged murder of Valentine (Val) Leo Degenhardt. It is believed to be the first Barrhead murder case in 37 years.
Degenhardt was last seen at about 5:30 p.m. on July 17 at a Barrhead gas station.
Last Thursday, RCMP officers confirmed a specialist team had discovered the 45-year-old’s remains 65 kilometres from where his missing jeep was found this summer.
Forty-six-year-old Norman “John” Jerrett has been charged with first degree murder, robbery, break and enter and indignity to a dead body.
His sister, Norma McAllister, 45, is charged with accessory after the fact and break and enter.
Her son, Carl McAllister, 29, is accused of accessory after the fact.
It is believed the trio will appear at court next Tuesday via CCTV from Edmonton remand centres, rather than be physically present. The case will probably be heard at the Court of Queen’s Bench in Edmonton.
The three from Barrhead were arrested on Nov. 9 by Edmonton Major Crimes unit investigators.
It was on July 19 that Degenhardt’s common-law spouse, Robyn Schmitke-Degenhardt, reported him missing. About 5 ft. 8 in. and with a distinctive grey goatee, he was last known to be driving a 2000 dark grey jeep Grand Cherokee bearing Alberta licence plate BJS 0889.
RCMP Edmonton Major Crimes investigators, with the help of several RCMP support units, investigated the disappearance.
Hikers came across Degenhardt’s jeep about 200 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, off Highway 32 between Whitecourt and Swan Hills. They alerted police about the abandoned vehicle, unsuspecting its origin.
Last week, police said a ground search was carried out of an area about 65 kilometres northwest of where Degenhardt’s vehicle was found. During the search, the RCMP Specialized Tactical Operations (STO) team discovered what appeared to be human remains.
These were sent to the office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Edmonton and it was confirmed they were of Degenhardt.
Alberta RCMP “K” Division media relations officer Sgt. Josee Valiquette said information about the location of the remains were acquired through investigations by the RCMP Major Crimes unit with the help of other RCMP units.
“Valentine Degenhardt’s family were notified that their loved one’s remains have been located,” she said.
Degenhardt lived in Salmon Arm, B.C., although he is known to have had a rental unit in Morinville. Shortly after his disappearance, Degenhardt’s family appealed for public help in finding him.
A $5,000 reward fund was also set up to encourage anyone with information to come forward.
“We are all very, very scared,” said Schmitke-Degenhardt in an emotional appeal at RCMP’s “K” division headquarters in Edmonton.
“It’s like living in a horror movie. Every day we wake up to this. It doesn’t even seem real.”
Schmitke-Degenhardt said she and Val had matching wedding tattoos of a yin-yang symbol marking the date of their marriage.
She said-goodbye to her husband at their B.C. home before he left for Alberta to visit family in the Morinville area.
“Val is a husband, a brother, stepfather and friend and we miss him very much,” said Val’s brother Tim Degenhardt. “We would like Val returned to us.”
After being notified on Nov. 9 of the murder charge Schmitke-Degenhardt said the news had restored her faith in the justice system.
“Now all we can pray that the charges they have laid will stick,” she said.
Barrhead’s last murder case is believed to have been the shooting death of teenager Marjorie Tiemstra on graduation night in 1976.
