A man, identified as Jared Smith from Burton, has changed his plea from second-degree murder to manslaughter in the case involving the death of Sheri Lynn Sabattis, a 54-year-old woman from the Oromocto First Nation community. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported this update on Thursday without elaborating on the reason for the reduced charge.
Sheri Lynn Sabattis, a member of the Wolastoqey community also known as Welamukotuk, was discovered deceased inside a residence in the Wolastoqey community on April 27, 2024. The RCMP promptly apprehended Jared Smith on the same day of the incident.
During a tele-remand hearing at Burton Court, Smith entered a guilty plea to the charge of manslaughter. He is currently in custody awaiting his next court appearance scheduled for November 9. Notably, the trial for the initial second-degree murder charge was set to commence in the upcoming month.