Curtis Dagenais, who was convicted of murdering two Saskatchewan RCMP officers and injuring another two decades ago, is back in court in Saskatoon this month over a legal dispute concerning his truck. The 1986 blue GMC 1500, currently stored at RCMP headquarters in Regina, is the subject of a forfeiture application by the Crown for its destruction, a move opposed by Dagenais.
The tragic incident took place on July 6, 2006, in Spiritwood, about 147 kilometers north of Saskatoon. Dagenais, driving the truck, was confronted by three RCMP constables attempting to arrest him. A pursuit ensued, during which Dagenais’s truck was forced against a tree by the officers’ vehicle, leading to a fatal shooting of two constables and the injury of another.
Dagenais was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in 2009. Despite his appeals being dismissed by the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal in 2012, Dagenais maintains his innocence. He believes that the bullet holes in the truck could serve as evidence in his favor, seeking assistance from Innocence Canada.
The issue of the truck’s forfeiture resurfaced in 2021, with Dagenais expressing his opposition to its destruction. Justice Gerald Allbright granted him time to explore options with Innocence Canada, postponing the forfeiture decision until after November 30, 2022. However, as no progress was made, the Crown renewed the application in May, leading to a recent hearing in front of Justice Daryl Labach, where Dagenais requested more time to secure legal representation.
Labach acknowledged that Dagenais’s chance to challenge the case lies with an appeal to the minister of justice, as no new evidence supporting his innocence has emerged. Despite granting another adjournment for Dagenais to seek legal counsel, the forfeiture hearing is set for August 31.