The family of two women who were found dead near Falher, Alta., nearly six years ago are travelling to Peace River to hopefully get some closure.
Melody Perry, 45, and her daughter Jerica Bouchard, 20, were killed in December of 2010.
Edward John Chomiak was charged with first-degree murder shortly after.
Chomiak was Perry’s common-law husband and was under a restraining order at the time. The crown has confirmed that the two died from “numerous” gunshot wounds.
Since being charged, Chomiak’s trail has been pushed back several times because of a multitude of reasons including a psychiatric evaluation and the defendant changing lawyers.
‘It’s been put off and postponed so many times that it’s hard to have the feeling that it’s going to go ahead. So you’re just kind of numb.’ – Wayne Perry
Wayne Perry — Melody’s brother and Bouchard’s uncle — said the family hopes the trial will finally go ahead on Monday. But the process has gone on for so long that they are being reserved, he added.
“It happened December 15, 2010, and we’ve been in court ever since that, it’s been [delayed] too many times to count,” Perry said.
“It’s been put off and postponed so many times that it’s hard to have the feeling that it’s going to go ahead. So you’re just kind of numb, it’s hard to put into any words how we feel.
“We’ve been let down so many times in the last five-and-a-half years.”
‘It does make me angry’
The trial was last delayed April 7 when the proceedings were adjourned after a mental health assessment was ordered.
Chomiak has been in custody since his arrest.
“It does make me angry that somebody like the person that is charged with the murder can flaunt our justice system,” said Perry.
‘As a family we had to put our life on hold and it is hard to move on when you don’t have any closure.’ – Wayne Perry
“The only relief we have as a family, is that he has been in custody for the last five-and-a-half years.”
The week-long trial is set to start Aug. 8 in Peace River.
“We don’t have any closure, we don’t have any justice for Melody and Jerica yet. We will get some closure when this trial is behind us,” Perry explained.
“As a family we had to put our life on hold and it is hard to move on when you don’t have any closure.”
Falher is about 430 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.