Suspect in fatal shooting of Saskatchewan teen boy appears in court

LA RONGE, Sask. – A suspect in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy on a northern Saskatchewan reserve is next to appear in court on March 30.

Jonas Budd made a brief appearance in La Ronge provincialcourt Monday to face several charges that include first-degree murder and kidnapping.

Budd, who is 43, was charged last week after Dustin Bird was found dead in a home on the Lac La Ronge reserve.

Bird’s girlfriend, 17-year-old Kayla Natomagan, was abducted and an Amber Alert was issued.

She was found unharmed a few hours later in Manitoba, but a suspect fled on foot.

Family members of the two teens weren’t happy when they missedBudd’s court appearance, which was moved up by half an hour.

The Crown would not explain why the time was changed, but court staff said it was for security reasons.

Police located Budd a day after the shooting and abduction. He had barricaded himself in a home in Sturgeon Landing, Sask., not far from the Manitoba boundary.

Police maintained a perimeter around the house for nearly a day before he gave himself up.

Budd is also accused of uttering threats, break and enter and three weapons-related charges.

(CKOM, CJLR, The Canadian Press)