The Gallagher family hugs at the end of court on Monday. Photo: Leanne Sanders/APTN.
Saskatoon police say a second person has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Meghan Gallagher.
Police say Cheyann Crystal Peeteetuce, 29, was arrested at a correctional facility in Prince Albert Monday.
Peeteetuce is the sixth person arrested in connection with the homicide investigation. She was incarcerated on an unrelated sentence. Peeteetuce has been transported back to Saskatoon and remains in police custody. She is expected to appear in Saskatoon provincial court Tuesday morning.
Gallagher, 30, disappeared in September of 2020. Police declared the case a homicide but her body hasn’t been found and investigators have not said what they believe happened to her.
The other person charged with her murder, Robert “Bobby” Thomas, 27, had a telephone hearing with the court Monday.
Thomas was arrested in Prince George on Sept. 20. The arrest came two years to the day Gallagher was last seen on a surveillance video. Four others face charges of offering an indignity to human remains.
The family was disappointed with how the hearing went. They wanted to look into the face of the man accused of killing their daughter.
Meghan’s stepmother Debbie Gallagher became emotional addressing reporters’ questions about Thomas’s next court appearance, on Oct. 6, which is also supposed to be via video.
“We’ve been told before they’ll appear by video and they don’t-it’s a phone call. According to the justice system, they have to face their victims,” she said. “We’re the victims here, and for what? How much it costs to take him here to court? We know he’s in Saskatoon. We know others are in Saskatoon and they never have to face us. It’s just wrong,”
“We want him to see the devastation he’s caused. Look at Meghan’s face and tell us how this doesn’t make him stay awake 24 hours a day like us.”
Megan’s father was also disappointed with the fact Thomas didn’t appear in person.
Brian Gallagher said they’ve been told they don’t have to go to court for the appearances of the accused, but he said he feels it’s important.
“It’s everybody’s, in Canada for sure, everybody’s human right to be able to come here and face their accused. Today that didn’t happen and in most cases, it hasn’t happened, it’s been via telephone or via video. So, today’s via phone call, it’s just disrespectful, and it cut deep.”
The Saskatoon Police Service is also due to announce a multi-agency search of an area of the South Saskatchewan River.
It said last week that investigators had identified an “area of interest.” Major Crimes also said it was likely there would be more charges laid as the investigation progresses.
