Trevor Ballantyne's family members stand outside Prince Albert Provincial Court. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court proceedings

Ballantyne murder committed for trial

Jun 26, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Standing outside Prince Albert Provincial Court, and surrounded by family members, Trisha Badger says she looks forward to trial and finding out what really happened to the father of her children.

She made the comment not long after the man accused of killing Trevor Ballantyne had his case committed to Court of King’s Bench. Devon Bird is facing a charge of second degree murder.

Family members and friends, some who travelled from as far as Edmonton to attend the hearing, all wore shirts bearing Ballantyne’s face. Badger acknowledged she appreciates the support.

“It makes me feel like we’re all together and that we’re all here to support Trevor,” she said. “I want to get Trevor the justice he does deserve.”

The case dates back to the morning of Oct. 6, 2023, when Prince Albert Police were called to the Rivercrest Apartment building, for a complaint of a deceased person. That’s where they found Trevor Ballantyne and Bird, who was 29 at the time, had turned himself in.

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This picture showing Bird and Ballantyne (far right) together, was posted to social media just hours before Ballantyne was found deceased. (Facebook)

Coincidentally the building, which has been boarded up since February, is about a 100 feet away from the courthouse, and Badger who lives five blocks away, acknowledged she thinks about it often.

“It has affected my children greatly. They hate the building. They hate coming downtown, like it is hard to be alone in Prince Albert with my children because we walk by here all the time,” she said.

Badger added her daughter suffers from both severe depression and anxiety and is scared of random people on the street.

Devon Bird’s preliminary inquiry hearing had initially been scheduled to run two days and the evidence that was presented on Wednesday is protected by a publication ban. The case will next be discussed at a pre-trial hearing at Court of King’s Bench. No dates have been set.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell