Dalhousie student William Sandeson to go to trial in Taylor Samson's death

William Sandeson, a Dalhousie University medical student, has been committed to stand trial on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of fellow Dalhousie student Taylor Samson.

Judge Anne Derrick of the Nova Scotia provincial court made the decision to commit Sandeson on Tuesday, at the culmination of a lengthy preliminary inquiry. The reasons for her decision and the evidence she considered are covered by a publication ban.

"It's a very sad day," Susan MacKay, the Crown prosecutor, said outside court.

"We'd have liked this not to have happened at all. One young man is dead, the other one is now committed to stand trial for first-degree murder."

Samson disappeared last August. Initially, police treated his disappearance as a missing person's case.

In court documents obtained at the time, police said Samson had been the target of a "drug rip" a robbery aimed at taking about 1.8 kilograms of marijuana police say Samson had.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

'It's his future at stake'

Samson's missing person's case quickly became a murder investigation and suspicion fell on Sandeson. He was arrested days after Samson was first reported missing, and just a few days before Sandeson was due to start his first year at medical school.

He has been in custody ever since and his request for bail was denied.

Samson's body has not been found.

Eugene Tan, Sandeson's lawyer, said his client has taken an active role in his own defence.

"I think the easiest answer is, it's his life at stake now. It's his future at stake," said Tan.

"He just wants some opportunity to control his own outcome."

The case now moves to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. Next month, they will begin the process of setting up for a judge and jury trial.

Tan said the earliest the trial could be held is in the fall. He said he expects the trial will take five to six weeks.