A man accused of killing a woman in Rothesay last year is facing trial for separate charges of making threats against another woman. Calvin Burns-Smith, 31, appeared in court briefly on Tuesday to schedule trial dates for two counts of making threats to cause harm or death, set for April 5 and April 17, 2025.
Judge Kelly Winchester informed Burns-Smith that his trial would take place over two days on February 4 and 5 at 9:30 a.m. He is currently under remand in police custody on these charges after pleading not guilty. Originally slated for a June trial, the date was postponed at the request of his attorney.
In another development, Burns-Smith was already in custody on threat charges when he was arrested by RCMP on April 21 last year in connection with the death of Sarah Teakles, a 26-year-old mother of two. Teakles was discovered deceased on April 17 in Maces Bay, southwest of Saint John. Burns-Smith faces charges of second-degree murder and tampering with human remains, with a seven-week trial for these offenses scheduled to commence on May 3.
According to a family friend’s earlier statements to CBC News, Teakles had been residing in Rothesay with her children, mother, and sister. She was last seen three days prior to the discovery of her body.
Initially accused of manslaughter in relation to the incident, Burns-Smith chose a jury trial with a preliminary inquiry in July 2025. The manslaughter charge was later upgraded to second-degree murder in August, with the Crown opting for a direct indictment, bypassing the preliminary inquiry phase and proceeding directly to trial.
During a recent pre-trial conference, Burns-Smith’s defense lawyer indicated his client’s desire for a trial before a judge alone, a request to which the Crown prosecutor agreed. Another pre-trial conference for the murder charge is anticipated to take place in early September.