THUNDER BAY – The suspect charged in the city’s ninth murder of the year appeared in court on Tuesday morning.
Shane Patrick Ashpanaquestcum, who has been in custody since being arrested following the Oct. 3 stabbing of 20-year-old Daniel Randall Levac, appeared at the Thunder Bay Courthouse.
Ashpanaquestcum is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Levac, who died in hospital after the altercation outside the SilverCity movie theatres.
Thunder Bay Police Service officers were called to the movie theatre at about 10:30 p.m. on the night of incident about reports of an altercation outside. Investigators sealed off the top steps of the theatre as a crime scene area where a pool of blood was visible.
In the days following the incident police said the two were not known to each other and that alcohol appeared to have been a factor.
Police said Ashpanaquestcum was found with a weapon when he was arrested a short distance away from the scene.
George Joseph, who is serving as the defence lawyer for Ashpanaquestcum, told the court he is preparing to work on a bail application.
Ashpanaquestcum was remanded back into custody and is scheduled to appear in court next on Jan. 13.
