Kidnapping and 1st-degree murder charges laid almost 11 years after Sask. man goes missing
More than a decade after Edward "Ted" Keith Geddes was last seen, two men are facing kidnapping and first-degree murder charges in relation to his death.
RCMP said the two suspects were known to Geddes.
People last saw the then-64-year-old in April 2011 in the Baldwinton area, close to the Alberta border almost 70 kilometres west of North Battleford.
Officers who went to his home in Baldwinton that April almost 11 years ago found Geddes' dog dead in the entranceway. That RCMP visit was part of an unrelated incident, according to police.
The dog had not died from natural causes, RCMP said.
Investigation efforts renewed in 2021, says RCMP inspector
When Geddes could not be found, officers started a missing person investigation, said Insp. Josh Graham, acting officer in charge of Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes, in a media release on Wednesday.
"Ted's disappearance was believed to be suspicious in nature shortly after," he said.
The Saskatchewan RCMP's historical case and major crimes units renewed the investigation in 2021, leading to the charges.
Officers arrested two men, both from the Baldwinton area, on Sunday.
Robert "Bob" Welsey Pich is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping with a firearm and careless use of a firearm.
John Robert Gregoire is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping with a firearm and indecently interfering with human remains.
Both men appeared in the North Battleford Provincial Court on Tuesday morning and are scheduled to return on March 8, according to police.
Police said officers executed search warrants Tuesday at a rural property outside of Baldwinton. Residents can expect an increased police presence in the area on Wednesday.
"This investigation is still ongoing because Ted has not been located," Graham said. "We want to bring that closure to his family, so our investigators will continue to work."
