Yellowknife (Oct 24/03) - Almost two years to the day after the crime was committed, jury selection for the murder of Keith Blair began Tuesday in Inuvik.

Ronald Frank Sayers, 23, and Shelly Marie Elanik, 19, were arraigned Tuesday morning on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of Keith Blair, a 46-year-old disabled man who worked the night shift at the Mackenzie Hotel front desk.

Yellowknife lawyer John Bayly is representing Elanik and Inuvik's Tom Boyd is representing Sayers. Co-councils Caroline Carrasco and Bernadette Schmaltz will prosecute the case tried by Justice Virginia Schuler.

Schuler said the trial is estimated to run four weeks, with 46 witnesses to be called.

The trial is being held at the community hall of the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex. Seating for 300 was arranged in the hall and counsel selected from a jury pool of some 700 people.

"This trial will be very interesting, but also very lengthy," Justice Schuler told the packed hall.

The bailiff randomly drew 12 names at a time from a tin box, shaking the box between each selection.

Six men and six women were selected for the jury in the four-hour process. Two alternates were also selected in the event that "something severe or drastic" happen to one of the jurors.

Justice Schuler said there will be some points of law discussed before the jury sits and the trial begins Monday, Oct. 27.

Keith Blair's battered body was found at the Mackenzie Hotel the morning of Oct. 17, 2001.

Vince Brown, President of the Mackenzie Delta Hotel Group, confirmed $2,100 in coins and small bills were stolen the same night Blair was killed.

Originally from Ottawa, Blair had been living in Inuvik for the last 10 years and was an employee of the hotel for the last eight years.

Described as a hard worker, a quiet and gentle man, the victim is survived by his wife of one year, Ingrid Binder.