Warning: This story contains disturbing details.
An Alberta man accused of first-degree murder in the deaths of a 24-year-old woman and her 16-month-old son in 2021 has pleaded guilty to both charges.
Robert Keith Major appeared in practice at the Hinton Provincial Court, more than 250 kilometers west of Edmonton, on Monday morning.
The major was arrested and charged shortly after the bodies of Mchale Bush and her son Noah were found in Hinton, Alta, last September.
After Major pleaded guilty to both murder charges, Judge Martha Burns allowed anyone in the courtroom who did not want to hear the details of the agreed statement of facts to leave.
According to a statement issued on September 16, 2021, Major assaulted and killed Bush by strangling her. He also mutilated her body, removing several of her organs.
The document states that Major killed 16-month-old Noah by strangling him to stop crying.
The courtroom also heard a police interview with Major, in which he claimed to have seen Bush leave the parking lot of their apartment complex with Noah and saw footage of Major placing a garbage bag with the boy’s body in a garbage container.
A spokesman told reporters that the family was very grateful for the confessions.
When all this happened, we were told that if we had to go to trial, it would be a three to four year trial and even a guilty plea could take two years, so we are grateful that it is moving a little more quickly and that’s what we wanted, it was a guilty plea, “said Verna Sand, standing in front of the courthouse after the procedure.
NEIGHBOR CONVICTED OF SEXUAL OFFENSER
In 2017, Edmonton police warned the community that Major, a convicted sex offender, had been released and was at risk of re-offending.
At the time of Bush and Noah’s deaths, Major was placed under several court-ordered conditions, including curfew and a ban on being around children.
Investigators say Major lived in the same apartment complex as Bush, her partner Cody McConnell and their child.
They had moved to Hinton because McConnell had found a job there.
“She was a very smart, strong girl. He was a handsome boy. They were innocent victims. Cody is an innocent victim. All he did was try to do the best he could with his family every day. He brought them here to work to provide for them, and he gave them a wonderful life, “Sand said.
It is not known when the Major moved to Hinton or whether the community there was notified.
In a statement, the RCMP said that Major had not been subject to any conditions for recognition since July 2020. However, friends and family felt “failed” by the judiciary.
“We need to be able to be protected from people who are like that. He had a history,” Sand said.
“He never had to live in a residential building next to schools, parks and families.”
The family wants legislative changes to how information about sex offenders is shared with law enforcement and landlords in a private bill they call Noah’s Law. They began collecting names to present to the House of Commons.
The major was also charged with two counts of interfering with human remains. These allegations must be dealt with at a later date.
The verdict is scheduled for November and is expected to take three days to allow for statements on the impact of the victims.
With files from The Canadian Press
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