2 men charged with 1st-degree murder in April death of Melissa Duquette in Saskatoon
Two men have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Melissa Duquette in April in Saskatoon.
Sundance Okemaysim and Kevin Keenatch both appeared in Saskatoon provincial court Thursday. Both will return to court next week.
Police are seeking a third suspect, Kendell Ameech.
Police were called to a house at 3206 33rd St. on April 13 when a neighbour noticed a door open. Inside, they discovered Duquette's body. The 24-year-old had been shot.
Duquette's mom and siblings were in court Thursday morning, along with a row of major crimes officers who had worked the case.
Okemaysim appeared first, standing in the prisoner's box metres away from Duquette's mother, Crystal.
"I didn't do it. I promise you, I didn't do," he said.
Then he turned and gave the finger to the officers.
Kendell Ameech (Saskatoon Police Service)Crystal Duquette said outside court that Melissa was the second oldest of her seven children.
"She was a hard worker, beautiful, with a big, contagious laugh," she said.
Melissa had recently finished a construction course — "She had a tool belt and everything," Crystal said — and planned to move to Calgary and take a welding course.
Crystal said that she did not know the men accused of killing her daughter. She said that her family sat up front and made direct eye contact with both, "because we wanted them to know she had a family."
