The man charged with the second-degree murder of Christine Denham in Chilliwack a year ago has pleaded not guilty and chosen to be tried by judge and jury.
|
|
| Christine Denham was killed in a house in downtown Chilliwack on Feb. 26, 2019. Shane Travis Hughes is charged with second-degree murder. (Submitted) |
Shane Travis Hughes entered is facing the charge in the domestic homicide of Denham on Feb. 26, 2019 at a house on Victor Street.
Denham succumbed to her injuries by gunshot on March 1, soon after which the RCMP’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team took conduct of the file.
Hughes was arrested in the days that followed and had his first appearance in provincial court on March 11. After numerous court appearances in 2019, he entered the plea and elected a jury trial on Dec. 17. He was back in court on Monday for a bail hearing at which time he was detained.
• READ MORE: Man charged with murder of Christine Denham in Chilliwack
• READ MORE: OPINION: Most victims of crime fear the devil they know
The 42-year-old Hughes will remain in custody until a scheduled four-day preliminary inquiry scheduled to start Nov. 3.
The incident that led to the charges was on Feb. 26, 2019 at about 1 p.m. when police responded to a residence in the 9400-block of Victor Street. They found Denham with a gunshot wound, and she died three days later.
#BREAKING Reports of a shooting at Victor near Bole in #Chilliwack. pic.twitter.com/zSJ0wKvPDk
— Jenna Hauck (@PhotoJennalism) February 26, 2019
• READ MORE: WATCH: Shooting reported in downtown Chilliwack
Few details were released about the case, but it is a K-file, which indicates a domestic matter.
Hughes is known to Surrey police. In 2005 he was convicted of trafficking in controlled substance and given a six-month conditional sentence in that city.
He is also charged with assault with a weapon and uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm from a Sept. 2, 2018 incident in Surrey. His trial on that file is scheduled for May 14 and 15.
Denham’s name was included in a domestic violence project in October called the Silent Witness Exhibit. Her mother attended the ceremony on Oct. 1 at the Chilliwack RCMP detachment to honour those who have been killed by domestic violence incidents.
• READ MORE: Chilliwack homicide victim to be remembered in Silent Witness Exhibit
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: paul.henderson@theprogress.com
@PeeJayAitchLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.