A man from Burton, Jared Smith, has changed his plea to guilty for manslaughter in the case involving the death of Sheri Lynn Sabattis, a 54-year-old woman from the Oromocto First Nation community. Originally facing a second-degree murder charge in 2024, Smith’s plea shift was confirmed by the RCMP on Thursday.
Sheri Lynn Sabattis, a member of the Wolastoqey community, was discovered deceased in a residence within the same community on April 27, 2024, leading to Smith’s immediate arrest by the RCMP.
The RCMP did not elaborate on the reasons behind the alteration in Smith’s charge. Smith admitted to the charge of manslaughter during a remote court appearance at Burton Court, with his next court date set for November 9 while remaining in custody.
Previously, a trial for second-degree murder was slated to commence in the upcoming month.