Bradley Bonnell chooses jury trial in connection with Baylee Wylie case

A man accused of aiding a fugitive wanted in the Baylee Wylie murder case in Moncton pleaded not guilty to that and other charges in a court appearance Wednesday.

Bradley Bonnell, 20, of Wheaton Settlement is also charged with entering a dwelling and possession of a firearm.

He elected to be tried by judge and jury on all charges.

Bonnell is also charged with possessing a stolen MacBook Pro and possessing a stolen .22 rifle. Those charges were adjourned until May 27 so they could be added to Bonnell's legal aid file to allow lawyer Jeremy Erickson to address them in court.

'Not a bad kid'

Bonnell's father, John Robert Bonnell of Boiestown, attended the court appearance Wednesday and outside the courtroom said his son was "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"He's not a bad kid, he doesn't deserve this," said the father. "Just ended up at the wrong place at the wrong time, with the wrong people."

Bolden was arrested with Elgin on Jan. 9 with Tyler Noel, who was wanted on a Canada-wide arrest warrant on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Wylie on Dec. 18.

John Robert Bonnell said his sons have known Noel since Grade 1.

"They don't even care for him much, you know. They aren't even real good friends or anything. That's what makes it really hard.

"It's not a good situation at all."

The night before he was arrested, Bonnell called his father and wanted to come home. But the father's vehicle inspection had expired.

"So I wasn't able to drive down here and pick him up, so he ended up with them that next day and that's when he got arrested," said John Robert Bonnell.

"I'd like it to be over with soon and I'd like to see the aiding and abetting or whatever that charge is, dropped," he said. "The other ones, if it was in his possession, he has got to come good for what he did.

"But besides that, I'd like to see him come home. I miss him."

Zachary Holden adjourned

Also appearing in court Wednesday was Zachary Holden, 19, of Moncton, who is facing charges similar to Bonnell.

Holden's lawyer Nathan Gorham was not in court Wednesday so those proceedings were adjourned until May 27.

Holden was also arrested with Noel.

Wylie's body was found in the burned out unit of a Moncton triplex. RCMP said he had been violently killed.

Marissa Shephard, 20, and Devin Morningstar, 18, have also been charged with first-degree murder in the Wylie case.