Accused killer Kalen Schlatter appeared by video in College Park court on Thursday — his face bearded, in an orange jumpsuit. He spoke clearly as he said good morning and told the Justice of the Peace his name, then stayed silent, nodding as he left.The charge against him was upgraded yesterday in the killing of 22-year-old Tess Richey, from second-degree to first-degree murder. Richey’s mother found her missing daughter’s body in an alley near Church and Wellesley in November, four days after she disappeared, and has driven down from North Bay for each of Schlatter’s appearances.Toronto police Det. Ted Lioumanis sat with the family in court, greeting them each with a warm embrace when he arrived Thursday morning. More “substantial” disclosure in Schlatter’s case would be available soon, the court heard. Lioumanis told reporters afterward that Schlatter has yet to provide a statement and is not cooperating with police.As the family hurried out after the appearance, Richey’s mother grasped the hand of another family member.Richey was killed by neck compression, according to a post-mortem examination. Schlatter, 21, was arrested Feb. 4 and originally charged with second-degree murder. Police, at the time, said that the pair hadn’t known each other before that night, and said the killing could fairly be called a “crime of opportunity.” Lioumanis confirmed on Thursday that they still believe the pair hadn’t known each other before.The new charge, of first-degree murder, means police believe the killing was either planned and deliberate, or occurred while Schlatter committed another specific offence, such as sexual assault.“A murder is planned if it was conceived of and thought out before it was carried out. A murder is deliberate if the acts involved were intended and purposeful,” criminal lawyer Daniel Brown explained to the Star. Brown is not connected to the case.Read more:Charge ...
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