RCMP have laid a charge of first-degree murder in the case of a missing northern Saskatchewan woman who was recently found murdered.
27-year-old Ricky Jonathan Ross of Sucker River is accused of killing 24-year-old Jodi Roberts, and he made a court appearance in La Ronge this morning.
He also faces a charge of offering an indignity to a body.
La Ronge RCMP Sgt. Richard Price says the Mounties identified him as a person of interest some time ago:
“He has been a person of interest earlier on, I guess, but we didn’t have the grounds to lay that charge. Once we had that information and we were confident in having enough evidence to lay the charge, we looked for him and arrested him, accordingly.”
Roberts’ remains were found near Sucker River on November 27. She had been reported missing on November 6.
Lac La Ronge Indian Band Chief Tammy Cook-Searson says if it wasn’t for the dedication of local searchers, we wouldn’t be at this point today.
“But I do want to acknowledge the local searchers that helped find the late Jodi Roberts, because I believe without the local searchers — their determination and never giving up — I don’t know if we ever would have found her. So I just wanted to publicly thank Tom Charles, who was the lead searcher, and all the people from all the different communities that came out to help us.”
Ross will make his next court appearance in La Ronge on January 13.