By Sheldon Spackman

still in custody

Co-accused in fatal Walmart shooting appears in court

Jan 22, 2020 | 12:05 PM

A woman co-accused in the fatal shooting of a Red Deer man outside a local Walmart in December made a brief appearance in Red Deer provincial court on Wednesday.

Crystal Lee Maurice, 30, of Red Deer appeared to be several months pregnant while cradling her belly during her court appearance. She remains in custody at the Red Deer Remand Centre where she’s been since her arrest on Dec. 20.

Judge D.J. Plosz was told that Maurice’s defense council is still reviewing disclosure, so an adjournment was granted until Feb. 5 when it’s expected an election on Maurice’s charges will be made in advance of a bail date booked in March.

Maurice faces counts of accessory after the fact to murder, flight from police, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and theft of a motor vehicle in the Dec. 20, 2019 incident.

That’s when RCMP responded to Red Deer’s south Walmart location and found 69-year-old Charles (Jim) Williams in the parking lot suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest following what police believe was an attempted robbery gone wrong. Williams was taken to hospital where he later died.

Last seen Jan. 15

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Mounties say the suspect then got into a getaway vehicle, a stolen SUV alleged to be driven by Maurice.

Police say two other people were also shot at while the vehicle fled, but no one was hurt in the additional shootings.

Mounties say the pair then drove to Rimbey, where a second vehicle was stolen before the two vehicles made their way towards Sylvan Lake where both were disabled with a spike belt near Highways 20 and 11A.

RCMP say the female suspect was arrested at the scene, while the male suspect was apprehended following a short foot chase.

Chase Freed, 18, of Red Deer, is charged with second-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder while using a firearm, failing to stop while being pursued by a police officer, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and theft of a motor vehicle.

Freed remains in custody at the Edmonton Remand Centre with his next court appearance set for Feb. 18.