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Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Crown stays murder charge for Edmonton man convicted of 1987 killing
Alberta prosecutors have stayed a murder charge against a man who was imprisoned for more than three decades for the death of an Edmonton woman who disappeared in 1987. In a news release on Friday, Innocence Canada, a non-profit organization that advocates for wrongful convictions, said the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) has stayed the second-degree murder charge against Roy Sobotiak. In an email to CBC on Friday, ACPS confirmed "that the matter was stayed." Sobotiak, 61, spent more than 35 years behind bars after being convicted for the murder of 34-year-old mother Susan Kaminsky. Kaminsky vanished in February 1987 and her body was never found. Sobotiak, who was in his early 20s at the time, was the last known person to see Kaminsky alive. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no eligibility of parole for 16½ years in 1991. Since his conviction, he continued to insist his innocence and has never been granted parole. In May 1994, the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Sobotiak's appeal against his conviction, and his application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was dismissed in 2004. In February 2021, Sobotiak applied to the federal minister of justice for a review of his conviction. Under the Criminal Code, a person who has been convicted of an offence and who has exhausted all rights of appeal may apply to the federal minister of justice for a review of their conviction. Sobotiak was granted a new trial in February by the former federal justice minister Arif Virani, who concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe a "miscarriage of justice" had occurred in the case. A briefing note by Sobotiak's legal team stated that the ministerial review hinged on three key issues: the undercover police operation, undisclosed investigative details, and additional forensic evidence linked to the case, some of which was discovered after his conviction. In response, Alberta Attorney General Mickey Amery applied for a judicial review to contest the decision. With his previous murder conviction quashed, Sobotiak was considered legally innocent and was granted bail in May. Sobotiak was released into a sober living house in Fort McMurray and was subject to conditions including a curfew and electronic monitoring for three months. The release from Innocence Canada stated that Sobotiak was scheduled to appear in court in Edmonton on Friday morning to set a date for his new trial. However, Alberta prosecutors entered a stay of proceedings, effectively ending the case against Sobotiak. "Mr. Sobotiak is a free man with no restrictions on him for the first time since the day of his arrest in 1989," said the Innocence Canada release. "Roy Sobotiak spent more time in prison than any other wrongfully convicted person in Canada has to date," said James Lockyer, a founding director of Innocence Canada and one of Sobotiak's lawyers, in an interview with CBC News. In the news release, Innocence Canada said Sobotiak intends to keep staying at the sober living house for now.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Crown stays murder charge for Edmonton man convicted of 1987 killing
Alberta prosecutors have stayed a murder charge against a man who was imprisoned for more than three decades for the death of an Edmonton woman who disappeared in 1987. In a news release on Friday, Innocence Canada, a non-profit organization that advocates for wrongful convictions, said the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) has stayed the second-degree murder charge against Roy Sobotiak. In an email to CBC on Friday, ACPS confirmed "that the matter was stayed." Sobotiak, 61, spent more than 35 years behind bars after being convicted for the murder of 34-year-old mother Susan Kaminsky. Kaminsky vanished in February 1987 and her body was never found. Sobotiak, who was in his early 20s at the time, was the last known person to see Kaminsky alive. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with no eligibility of parole for 16½ years in 1991. Since his conviction, he continued to insist his innocence and has never been granted parole. In May 1994, the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed Sobotiak's appeal against his conviction, and his application for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada was dismissed in 2004. In February 2021, Sobotiak applied to the federal minister of justice for a review of his conviction. Under the Criminal Code, a person who has been convicted of an offence and who has exhausted all rights of appeal may apply to the federal minister of justice for a review of their conviction. Sobotiak was granted a new trial in February by the former federal justice minister Arif Virani, who concluded that there were reasonable grounds to believe a "miscarriage of justice" had occurred in the case. A briefing note by Sobotiak's legal team stated that the ministerial review hinged on three key issues: the undercover police operation, undisclosed investigative details, and additional forensic evidence linked to the case, some of which was discovered after his conviction. In response, Alberta Attorney General Mickey Amery applied for a judicial review to contest the decision. With his previous murder conviction quashed, Sobotiak was considered legally innocent and was granted bail in May. Sobotiak was released into a sober living house in Fort McMurray and was subject to conditions including a curfew and electronic monitoring for three months. The release from Innocence Canada stated that Sobotiak was scheduled to appear in court in Edmonton on Friday morning to set a date for his new trial. However, Alberta prosecutors entered a stay of proceedings, effectively ending the case against Sobotiak. "Mr. Sobotiak is a free man with no restrictions on him for the first time since the day of his arrest in 1989," said the Innocence Canada release. "Roy Sobotiak spent more time in prison than any other wrongfully convicted person in Canada has to date," said James Lockyer, a founding director of Innocence Canada and one of Sobotiak's lawyers, in an interview with CBC News. In the news release, Innocence Canada said Sobotiak intends to keep staying at the sober living house for now.
Motor 1
44 minutes ago
- Motor 1
‘My Car Got Airtagged:' Woman Goes to Police After Being Warned Her Car Is Being Tracked. What Should You Do if This Happens?
A woman on TikTok claims her car was AirTagged—and says that neither the police nor staff at the location where it happened were very helpful. Savannah Phillips (@thatsavchick) said she was at a golf course when she discovered the AirTag, though she hasn't shared exactly how she was alerted to it. As of this writing, her initial video about the incident has gathered over 2.6 million views. She has not yet posted a follow-up confirming whether the device was ever located. Police Couldn't Find the AirTag. The Golf Course Didn't Help Either In her video, Phillips included footage of two officers helping her search around her car and trunk for the device, but to no avail. The next day, she said in an update video that she took the car to a body shop—but was told there were too many 'nooks and crannies' and 'exposed metal' areas for a thorough scan. She also criticized the golf course where it all happened, saying the staff showed little interest and weren't even familiar with what an AirTag was. 'They could not have been less helpful or less interested,' Phillips said. For now, she's keeping her car away from her home, citing safety concerns. 'As for now, my car is not at my house,' she said in her most recent update on July 7. She promised to keep followers posted, but hasn't shared any new details since. What Do I Do if This Happens to Me? If you find an AirTag on or inside your car and you didn't place it there, don't ignore it . Apple and safety experts recommend disabling the device immediately and contacting law enforcement, especially if you feel unsafe or suspect someone is tracking you without your consent. The AirTag might beep if it's been separated from its owner for a while, but you can also use your iPhone or any NFC-enabled phone to scan it. Hold your phone near the white side of the tag, and a notification should pop up with instructions on how to disable it. Search your vehicle carefully—under seats, in compartments, around the trunk, and anywhere else the device might be hidden. If you find the AirTag, press down on the back and twist it counter-clockwise to remove the battery and stop it from transmitting. If your phone detected the tag, follow any on-screen instructions to disable it. Law enforcement may ask for the AirTag, its serial number, or any owner information you were shown, so take screenshots before handing it over. Do not return the device to whoever placed it there, and do not try to confront them, as that could put you at risk. If you use an iPhone, make sure Item Safety Alerts are turned on. This feature will notify you if an unknown AirTag is moving with you over time. And if you're ever in doubt, it's best to be cautious and involve the authorities. How Do I Know If I'm Being Tracked? If you're an iPhone user, your phone will automatically alert you if it detects an unknown AirTag moving with you—either because it's been separated from its owner or because someone might be using it to track you. If that happens, open the Find My app and follow the steps to locate the device. Some newer iPhones even offer precision finding, which can help you pinpoint exactly where the tag is hidden. If you have an Android phone, it's a bit less automatic. One option is to download the 'Tracker Detect' app from the Google Play Store and use it to scan for nearby AirTags. Viewers Offer Advice Phillips isn't the only one who says her car has been tagged with an AirTag. In the comments section of her video, others shared their own unsettling experiences. 'This happened to me, and the cops in my town told me [that] unless I find it or a crime is committed, they can't do anything,' one user wrote. 'Glad your town is better.' 'Take it to the mechanic! I had this happen to me, and they didn't even charge me,' another said. 'Deputy here. A girl came in with this exact concern about two years ago,' a third commenter added. 'We found out it was in her spare tire. We put it on my squad car.' Some also offered advice for what to do if you find yourself in a similar situation. 'Turn your location on your iPhone in your car,' one said. 'When the notification comes up, your phone will allow you to have the AirTag make a noise and also give you the last four digits of the phone number for the account.' Others suggested checking places like the gas cap or exhaust pipe. 'This happened to me, and they duct taped it to my exhaust pipe,' one commenter shared. Then there were those simply shocked. 'That's so scary,' one user wrote. 'The act of placing an AirTag on someone's property should be charged with aggravated stalking with intent to harm,' another said. 'There is no excuse someone needs to keep tabs on you like this.' Motor1 has reached out to Phillips via a direct message on TikTok. We'll update this article if we hear back. Now Trending 'Finally Good Parenting:' Man Realizes Someone Keyed His Jeep and Punctured Tires. Then a Neighbor Steps in With Ring Footage 'Jeep, Chrysler, Anything Stellantis': Mechanics Reveal Which Cars Pay Their Rent. Is Yours On the List? Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
