A man, Calvin Burns-Smith, is facing trial for charges of uttering threats against a woman in Musquash unrelated to the murder of a Rothesay woman. Burns-Smith, aged 31, appeared briefly in court on Tuesday to schedule trial dates for two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm on April 5 and April 17 in 2025. The judge, Kelly Winchester, informed Burns-Smith that his trial is set for February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m., and he will remain in police custody pending trial despite pleading not guilty to the charges. The original trial date for the threats was moved from June at the request of his lawyer.
On April 21 last year, Burns-Smith was arrested by the RCMP while already in custody for the threat charges by the Saint John police. This arrest was in connection with the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two, whose body was discovered on April 17 in Maces Bay, southwest of Saint John. Burns-Smith faces charges of second-degree murder and interference with human remains. The trial for these charges is slated to commence on May 3. Teakles, who was living with her children, mother, and sister in Rothesay, was last seen three days prior to the discovery of her body.
Initially charged with manslaughter in relation to Teakles’ death, Burns-Smith chose a jury trial during a preliminary inquiry in July 2025. The charge was later elevated to second-degree murder in August, with the Crown opting for a direct indictment, bypassing the preliminary inquiry stage. At a pre-trial conference last month, Burns-Smith’s defense counsel, Brian Munro, indicated his client’s desire for a judge-alone trial, to which Crown prosecutor Elaina Campbell agreed. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated in early September.