Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Apr 26/02) - The young Inuvik couple charged with the murder of a hotel night clerk in October, appeared in court this week for their preliminary inquiry.

Ronald Frank Sayers, 22, and Shelly Marie Elanik, 18, were jointly charged with second degree murder in January.

The body of hotel night clerk Keith Blair was found the morning of Oct. 17, 2001, at the Mackenzie Hotel. The 46-year-old had been working the graveyard shift when he was killed.

On Monday, the first five Crown witnesses testified. All were relatives and friends of the co-accused. Two police officers and four other Crown witnesses testified Tuesday.

The hearing is expected to last three days. Preliminary hearings are held to determine if the Crown has enough evidence to commit an accused to stand trial.

The legal test for a judge to order a committal is whether there's sufficient evidence that a jury properly instructed might reasonably render a conviction. If there's not, the judge must discharge the accused after the preliminary hearing.

Twelve witnesses have been subpeonad to testify before territorial court judge P. Ayotte. As with most preliminary inquiries, evidence heard in court cannot be printed because of a publication ban.

Elanik is represented by high-profile lawyer John Bayly, who was recently in the headlines for his involvement in the Jane Groenewegen conflict of interest scandal. Sayers is being represented by Robert Gorin.

Sayers and Elanik, both originally from Aklavik, have an infant son together. Elanik and the child had been living with Elanik's mother in Inuvik, and Sayers had been staying at a relative's apartment. At the time of his arrest, Sayers was working as a labourer with WesternGeco.

Elanik was released earlier on bail, while Sayers has been remanded in custody since January.

After his death, most of the hotel was closed for nearly a week while police sifted through what is said to have been a grisly crime scene.