A 22-year-old North Battleford man charged in connection to the murder of Ryan Gatzke, 27, was scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court May 26.
Isaac Melko’s appearance was adjourned until next month. He is charged with second degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carry a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, possession of a firearm without a license, and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle.
Jacob Joseph Ballantyne, 25, of Edam, is also charged in connection to the murder of Gatzke. Ballantyne is charged with second-degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, pointing a firearm and possession of a firearm without a license.
Charles Michael Lewis McLean, 23, of North Battleford is charged with manslaughter in connection to Gatzke’s death. McLean is also charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle and break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.
A fourth accused, also from North Battleford, was 17 at the time of the homicide and his name can’t be released in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act. He is now 18 and charged with second-degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, possession of a firearm without a license, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle and possession of a restricted firearm while prohibited.
The four were arrested by police earlier this month after an eight-month long investigation by RCMP Major Crimes North.
According to Battlefords RCMP, police responded to a report of an injured man at a home on the 100 block of 26 Street West in Battleford on Oct. 18, 2019. The man, identified as Gatzke, was taken by EMS to the North Battleford Hospital where he was later declared deceased.
Ballantyne is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court June 3 for a show cause hearing and to speak to the charges.
McLean is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on June 9 for a show cause hearing and again on June 15 to speak to the weapons charges.
Melko remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on June 11 to speak to all the charges.
