Krystal Toole elects trial by judge, waives right to preliminary inquiry

Krystal DawnToole, who ischarged withbeing an accessory after the fact to the murder of Monctonteen Baylee Wyliebyallegedly assisting fugitiveMarissa Shephard, will stand trial.

Toole, 32, appeared in Moncton provincial court on Friday and elected tobe tried by aCourt of Queen's Bench judge without a jury. She alsowaived her right to a preliminary inquiry.

Shewill wait to have the charge read in Court of Queen's Bench before entering a plea, defence lawyer Hazen Brien said.

A trial date will be set on June 6.Tooleremains in custody.

She is accused of assistingShephard, 20, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for first-degree murder and arsonin connection withWylie'sdeath in December andmanaged to eludepolice for about 10 weeks.

The body of Wylie, 18,was found on Dec. 17 in a burned apartment unit he had been sharing with Shephard, according to his mother.RCMP have described Wylie's death as extremely violent.

Toolewas arrestedon March 1in the company ofShephard, 20, and StephenNagle, 22, in Moncton after police received a tip from the public.

Nagle, who isthe father of Shephard's young son,was also charged with being an accessory after the fact for assisting Shephard. Hechanged his plea to guilty on April 25 and was sentenced to nine months in jail and one year of probation.

Toole'sdefencelawyer had previously suggested there might be an opportunity to resolve her case.

DevinMorningstar, 18, who is also charged with first-degree murder and arson in connection with Wylie's death, made a brief appearance in Moncton Court of Queen's Bench on Friday afternoon.

He remains in custody and is scheduled to return to court on May 25.

Morningstar, who previously waived his right to a preliminary inquiry, is scheduled to start trial starting on Oct. 18. Eight weeks have been set aside.

Tyler Noel, 18, who is also charged with first-degree murder and arson in connection with Wylie's death, is scheduled to have a four-day preliminaryinquiry, starting on Monday.

A preliminary inquiry determines if there's enough evidence to proceed to a trial.

Two other men, accused ofassisting Noel to evade police, are also facing charges of being accessories to murder after the fact.

Bradley Bonnell, 20, and ZacharyHolden, 19, were arrested onJan. 9in the company ofNoel, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant in Wylie's death.

Bonnell, who has pleaded not guilty to that and other charges, has elected to be tried by judge and jury.

Holdenisscheduled to return to court on May 27.