Curtis Dagenais, the individual who committed a crime against two Saskatchewan RCMP officers and injured another two decades ago, is set to appear in court in Saskatoon over a legal matter concerning his truck.
The 1986 blue GMC 1500, which has been stored at RCMP headquarters in Regina since the tragic incident in 2006, is the subject of a forfeiture application by the Crown seeking its destruction. However, Dagenais is contesting this action.
On July 6, 2006, Dagenais was in the truck when three RCMP constables attempted to arrest him in Spiritwood, leading to a pursuit that ended tragically. Dagenais fatally shot two constables, Marc Bourdages and Robin Cameron, and injured Const. Michelle Knopp.
Dagenais was convicted in 2009 of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, receiving life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years. Despite an appeal in 2012 that upheld his convictions, the issue of the truck’s forfeiture has only recently come to light.
The delay in pursuing the forfeiture application was addressed during the recent court proceedings, with Crown prosecutor Scott Bartlett explaining that it was an oversight that has now been rectified. Dagenais, who maintains his innocence, expressed his opposition to the destruction of the truck, citing potential evidence in the bullet holes present.
Innocence Canada, an organization supporting wrongfully convicted individuals, was mentioned as a potential avenue for Dagenais to seek assistance. However, with no progress made, the court has set a deadline for the resolution of the forfeiture matter.
In a recent hearing before Justice Daryl Labach, Dagenais reiterated his objection to the forfeiture and requested an adjournment to secure legal representation. Labach granted the adjournment, allowing Dagenais more time to address the issue before the upcoming forfeiture hearing scheduled for August 31.