3 men enter guilty pleas in 2017 Abbotsford slaying
Alexander Blanarou was out on bail when he was shot to death in what police believe to be a targeted hit
UPDATE — Feb. 13, 2023: The BC Prosecution Service says one of the accused, Edrick Raju, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment for conspiracy and 14 years for manslaughter, to be served concurrently.
Police say three men have entered guilty pleas in relation to the 2017 shooting death of 24-year-old Alexander Blanarou, who died in what is believed to be a targeted killing related to drugs.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said in a statement Thursday that Michael Schweiger pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to manslaughter on Dec. 5.
In October, Islam Nagem and Edrick Raju also entered guilty pleas in relation to the homicide, police said. CBC News has contacted Crown prosecutors for more information.
In 2020, after an investigation, IHIT charged Nagem and Raju with first-degree murder, while Schweiger was charged with second-degree murder.
Abbotsford police said Blanarou was shot multiple times on Dec. 28, 2017, and was killed while out on bail on two drug charges he was facing in the Yukon.
His body was found in a blueberry field in the 5200 block of Bates Road in rural Abbotsford.
Police say they won't be commenting further because the matter is still before the courts. The sentencing for all three men is scheduled for early 2023.