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Four charged with murder of Ryan Gatzke remain in custody

All four people charged with the 2019 murder of Ryan Gatzke, 27, in Battleford remain in custody.
GATZE HOUSE
A badly injured Ryan Gatzke was found in this house on 26th Street in Battleford in 2019. He was taken to hospital where he was declared deceased. (Photo by AVERIL HALL)

All four people charged with the 2019 murder of Ryan Gatzke, 27, in Battleford remain in custody.

Isaac Melko, 22, Charles Michael Lewis MacLean, 23, of North Battleford, a young offender and Jacob Joseph Ballantyne, 25, of Edam, had appearances in North Battleford Provincial Court Oct. 28 via CCTV and the matters were all adjourned. The young offender can’t be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Melko, Ballantyne and the young offender are charged with second-degree murder, break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence, disguise with intent, carry a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, possession of a  rearm without a license, and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle.

Maclean was charged with manslaughter, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle, and break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.

RCMP found Gatzke in his home in the 100 block of 26 Street West in Battleford on Oct. 18, 2019. He was badly injured and taken to the North Battleford hospital by EMS where he was later declared deceased.

Melko, Ballantyne, MacLean and the young offender are now scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court via CCTV on Nov. 25 to speak to the matter.