A man facing allegations of murdering a woman in Rothesay last year is now set to be tried for separate charges of making threats against another woman. Calvin Burns-Smith, aged 31, appeared briefly in court on Tuesday to schedule trial dates for two counts of uttering threats to cause harm or death on April 5 and April 17, 2025. Judge Kelly Winchester informed Burns-Smith that his trial would span two days on February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m., with him remaining in police custody pending trial.
Despite pleading not guilty, Burns-Smith was initially slated for trial in June, but his lawyer requested a postponement. Concurrently, a murder trial for Burns-Smith is scheduled for May, stemming from his arrest by RCMP on April 21, last year, in connection with the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two found deceased on April 17 in Maces Bay. The charges against Burns-Smith include second-degree murder and tampering with human remains. Teakles, who had been residing with her family in Rothesay, was last seen three days before her body was discovered by authorities.
Initially charged with manslaughter, Burns-Smith opted for a jury trial during a preliminary inquiry in July 2025. However, the charge was elevated to second-degree murder in August, prompting the Crown to file a direct indictment, bypassing the preliminary inquiry and proceeding directly to trial. In a recent pre-trial meeting, Burns-Smith’s defense counsel, Brian Munro, indicated his client’s desire for a trial before a judge alone, a request to which Crown prosecutor Elaina Campbell agreed. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated to take place in early September.