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Man accused of teenage girl’s murder to be brought back to Nanaimo for hearing

Steven Michael Bacon, charged with murder in Makayla Chang case, currently in Ontario prison
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Steven Michael Bacon, accused of the murder of Makayla Chang, will make his first in-person court appearance in Nanaimo in November. (Submitted photos)

With a preliminary inquiry approaching, law enforcement officials from Nanaimo are preparing to transport the accused in the Makayla Chang murder case back to B.C., according to Crown counsel.

Steven Michael Bacon faces a first-degree murder charge in the case. Chang was reported missing in March 2017 and the teenager’s body was found months later. Bacon is currently incarcerated at a maximum-security prison in Penetanguishene, Ont. In B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo on Tuesday, Oct. 19, Crown counsel Nick Barber made an application for an order to have Bacon returned to Nanaimo, stating sheriffs will leave for Ontario, this Friday, Oct. 22.

Barber told Judge Robin Baird, who signed the order, that Ontario and B.C. corrections officials are aware of the situation, but he sought a more fulsome order from the Supreme Court. Having Bacon brought back to appear in-person is the default and an appropriate way to deal with a matter of this serious nature, Barber said.

Gilbert Labine, Bacon’s legal counsel, said he was in agreement with the order and consented to Barber’s request.

Labine said he would be appearing remotely due to COVID-19 concerns and Barber also said some out-of-province witnesses would be called.

Barber said he didn’t anticipate any problems and there shouldn’t be any issues with presentation of evidence.

Preliminary inquiries are held to see if there is enough evidence for a trial in supreme court and Barber said five witnesses would be called.

The preliminary inquiry is scheduled to begin Nov. 1 in Nanaimo.

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reporter@nanaimobulletin.com

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Karl Yu

About the Author: Karl Yu

After interning at Vancouver Metro free daily newspaper, I joined Black Press in 2010.
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