Ryan Jake Applegarth. (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Sheldon Spackman

woman killed last november

Preliminary hearing scheduled for man charged in Ponoka homicide

Apr 21, 2021 | 1:08 PM

A two-day preliminary hearing will take place this fall for a Ponoka man charged in a homicide last year.

Ryan Jake Applegarth, 28, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 26-year-old Chantelle Firingstoney of Ponoka on Nov. 5, 2020.

The preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 2-3, 2021, will determine if Applegarth’s case has enough evidence to go to trial.

It was on Nov. 5, 2020, when Ponoka RCMP and EMS responded to a 911 call of an injured female at a residential complex in Ponoka. That’s where the victim was found deceased.

A suspect was taken into custody by the responding members.

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Mounties believed the crime to be an isolated incident.

Applegarth, meanwhile, is also charged with first-degree murder in relation to a homicide in Wetaskiwin on Jan. 3, 2020.

That’s when Wetaskiwin RCMP responded to a complaint of a deceased 34-year-old male at a city residence.

Applegarth’s case in that matter is scheduled to return to Wetaskiwin Court of Queen’s Bench on Apr. 27 for arraignment.