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Three men accused of killing Battleford man appear in court

Three men accused of killing a Battleford man had more court appearances but the matters were adjourned again.
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Isaac Melko, 22, Charles Michael Lewis MacLean, 23, of North Battleford, and Jacob Joseph Ballantyne, 25, of Edam, appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court Nov. 25 via CCTV but the matters were adjourned.

Three men accused of killing a Battleford man had more court appearances but the matters were adjourned again.

Isaac Melko, 22, Charles Michael Lewis MacLean, 23, of North Battleford, and Jacob Joseph Ballantyne, 25, of Edam, appeared in North Battleford Provincial Court Nov. 25 via CCTV but the matters were set over to Jan. 13, 2021, to be spoken to.

The three, along with a young offender, are charged in connection to the murder of 27-year-old Ryan Gatzke.

A badly injured Gatzke was found in a house in Battleford in October 2019. He was taken to the North Battleford hospital where he was declared deceased.

Maclean was charged with manslaughter, a firearms offence, and break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Melko, Ballantyne and the young offender - who can’t be named in accordance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act - were 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 firearm without a license, and unauthorized possession of a firearm.