New BrunswickAn error by Fredericton police that thwarted murder prosecutions this year won’t result in criminal charges or disciplinary proceedings, but the police chief says a series of recommended policy changes will be enacted.No criminal charges or discipline recommended after reviewShane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Dec 12, 2025 4:55 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Fredericton Police Force Chief Gary Forward speaking to reporters at a news conference on Friday. (Shane Magee/CBC)An error by Fredericton police that thwarted murder prosecutions this year won’t result in criminal charges or disciplinary proceedings, but the police chief says a series of recommended policy changes will be enacted.Murder charges against five people related to two Fredericton-area homicides were stayed in June, effectively ending the cases. The nature of the problem that led to the stayed charges hasn’t been released.Ian D. Scott, an Ontario lawyer hired by the force to review what happened, described it Friday as “obstruction of justice,” because the accused weren’t tried. But he didn’t call for criminal charges.”What happened here was just regrettable and really more a systemic failure, as opposed to one individual who was committing any form of criminal act,” Scott told reporters Friday.Scott outlined his findings and released a report at a news conference Friday alongside Fredericton Police Force Chief Gary Forward.Ian D. Scott, an Ontario lawyer who carried out the review, outlined his findings and recommendations on Friday. (Shane Magee/CBC)Scott said there could have been a disciplinary charge of “neglect of duty” under the provincial Police Act against a member of the police force. However, that won’t happen since the person no longer works for the police.The chief said the person left before the error was discovered. Their role and name were not disclosed Friday.Scott’s report has 19 recommendations related to investigations of major crimes like homicides. They include staffing changes, training, file management, updating policies and procedures, and exploring an integrated provincial homicide unit.Scott said other recommendations related to the error have not been made public, as they could reveal the nature of the error.WATCH | ‘This is something that never should have happened’:6 murder charges stayed because of “confluence of factors,” report findsA review of the stays of six murder charges due to an “evidentiary issue” of the Fredericton Police Force is light on details of what the actual issue was, but recommends ways to prevent similar problems in the future. “We fully accept the findings of the independent review and are committed to implementing all 19 recommendations,” Chief Forward told reporters.“These recommendations will strengthen our training, oversight, file management and staffing.”On June 27, Fredericton-region homicide cases came to a halt when the Crown stayed charges against Erica Lea Ann Blyth, Joshua John McIsaac, Devon Mark Hill Hood, Matthew David LeBlanc and Travis James Snowsell. Blyth, McIsaac, Hood and LeBlanc were accused of killing Brandon Donelan. McIsaac was also accused, along with Snowsell, of killing Corey Markey.Markey was shot on Fredericton’s north side early on Dec. 21, 2022, and died in hospital eight days later. Donelan was reported missing Jan. 30, 2022. His body was found in a wooded area off a snowmobile trail between Minto and Chipman on March 31, 2022.The cases were proceeding toward trial, with McIsaac nearing a guilty plea on lesser charges, when an issue arose.Forward said on Friday that a detective reviewing the case discovered an issue that was then brought to the Crown’s attention and led to the stays.Scott said the specifics of the error can’t be shared due to provisions in the Canada Evidence Act dictating that certain things must be kept secret. He said that, generally, those things can include national security or police investigative techniques.“There are evidentiary rules which transcend the importance of bringing the accused in a specific case to justice,” Scott said.“The Canada Evidence Act and related case law prevent disclosure of this information,” he said. “They not only prevent me, they prevent anybody within the criminal justice system from disclosing this information.”Scott said that in general, his review found the force’s investigations were professional and well managed, until they became more complex.Forward reiterated an apology to Markey and Donelan’s families about what unfolded.“We are here today not to make excuses. We are here to acknowledge our mistake, to learn from it, and to do better moving forward,” the chief said.Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers said she had met with Scott to discuss his findings. She told reporters she has confidence in the chief and the force’s major crimes unit.Scott told reporters he had met with Donelan’s sister, Jessica Donelan, on Friday before releasing the report and outlined his findings. He said Markey’s family declined to meet him.The Fredericton police error in the Markey case also affected the RCMP investigation into Donelan’s death.An RCMP spokesperson said the force wouldn’t be able to comment Friday, as it hadn’t been provided a copy of the report in advance of its release. The staying of these charges shook public confidence in the criminal justice system and deprived everyone, especially the family members, of a public trial.- Ian D. ScottAt several points, Scott and Forward alluded to the unprecedented nature of what unfolded.”I have never heard of such a singular event,” Scott wrote in his report. He noted to reporters he has been a lawyer for 40 years and served several of those as director of Ontario’s police watchdog agency.“The impact of these matters on the Fredericton community and on the families of Corey Markey and Brandon Donelan could not be adequately expressed in words,” Scott said.“The staying of these charges shook public confidence in the criminal justice system and deprived everyone, especially the family members, of a public trial.”Forward said the force will begin implementing Scott’s recommendations in the coming months, and will report progress publicly to a city council public safety committee.ABOUT THE AUTHORShane Magee is a Moncton-based reporter for CBC News.
Fredericton police chief commits to changes after collapsed murder cases
