A man facing charges for allegedly killing a woman in Musquash last year will stand trial for separate allegations of making threats against another woman. Calvin Burns-Smith, 31, appeared briefly in court on Tuesday to set trial dates for two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, occurring on April 5 and April 17, 2025.
Judge Kelly Winchester informed Burns-Smith that his trial is scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m., with him being held in police custody until then. Burns-Smith pleaded not guilty to the charges, which led to the postponement of his original trial date in June.
In a separate case, Burns-Smith was already in Saint John police custody for the threat charges when he was arrested by RCMP on April 21 last year in connection with the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two. Teakles’ body was discovered on April 17 in Maces Bay, southwest of Saint John. Burns-Smith faces charges of second-degree murder and interference with human remains, with a seven-week trial set to commence on May 3.
Initially charged with manslaughter and opting for a jury trial with a preliminary inquiry in July 2025, Burns-Smith had his charge elevated to second-degree murder last August. The Crown pursued a direct indictment, bypassing the preliminary inquiry phase and sending Burns-Smith straight to trial.
During a recent pre-trial conference, Burns-Smith’s defense counsel, Brian Munro, indicated his client’s desire for a trial before a judge alone, a request to which Crown prosecutor Elaina Campbell agreed. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated to take place in early September.