A few hours before FitzGerald’s news conference, Folker appeared in provincial court in St. John’s as a large number of reporters gathered outside Courtroom No. 7.
He showed no reaction when Judge Greg Brown read aloud the charges — second-degree murder and “improperly or indecently interfering with or offering an indignity to a dead human body or human remains.”
The court was crowded with Shirran’s family members and friends.
Some of Folker’s family, including his mother, were also in the courtroom.
Folker is represented by defence lawyers Bill Collins and Mike King.
Frances Knickle and Andrew Brown are the Crown prosecutors assigned to Folker’s case.
Collins told the judge they needed time to review the case and asked that it be postponed for about three weeks.
Folker will stay in jail until his next court date, Sept. 28.
“We know just as much about this as you do at this point,” Collins told The Telegram.
“We were just retained, so we need time to look at the file.”
It wasn’t the first time Folker has appeared in a St. John’s courtroom.
Last month, he was charged with damaging property at the Human Resources, Labour and Development offices June 25.
He has also been in trouble with the law in his native Nova Scotia.
According to Halifax provincial court, Folker — who’s from Bedford — pleaded guilty to criminal negligence causing death in 1992 and was sentenced to two years less a day, with two years’ probation.
A charge of impaired driving was withdrawn.
Folker was arrested Monday morning for Shirran’s murder, less than 24 hours after the police revealed it was Shirran’s body that had been found in the woods near Cappahayden.
The site remains secured by the police. FitzGerald said the RNC’s forensic identification unit, patrol officers and MUN forensic anthropologists are doing grid searches to establish whether or not there is any further evidence to be found.
Meanwhile, FitzGerald confirmed the extensive ground search conducted in the Blackhead area weeks ago turned up pertinent evidence.
“The ground search resulted in a number of discoveries that the RNC made that were crucial to the process and advancement of the investigation,” said FitzGerald, who would not elaborate.
During the search of the Blackhead Road area, several resources were used, including Ontario police, cadaver dogs, Rover search and rescue, the RNC’s marine unit, patrol K-9 and the mounted unit.
“All played an integral part in this investigation,” FitzGerald said.
Extensive searches were also conducted on the west coast of Newfoundland.
“But what we really need to remember here is that there’s a family grieving right now and we need to respect the fact that they are going through an exceptionally difficult time,” FitzGerald said.
“And the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary would like to express their condolences to the family.”
Meanwhile, Folker’s cousin in Vancouver has created a Facebook page, “Davy Folker is innocent.”
“A lot of people are making accusations without even knowing Dave. It is time we stood up for the guy we know he is,” the page states.
The Telegram
