Raymond Caissie is pictured in a RCMP handout photo. Caissie, 43, is charged with killing Serena Vermeersch, whose body was found a day after her mother reported her missing on Sept. 15.The Canadian Press
The lawyer for a man charged in the killing of a Surrey teen says it's important to remember his client is presumed innocent.
Raymond Caissie has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Serena Vermeersch. She was last seen getting on a bus on the evening of Sept. 15. Her body was discovered the next day.
Mr. Caissie was in prison for more than two decades after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a young woman who had been working at a museum.
The Crown did not seek electronic monitoring or a curfew for Mr. Caissie when his sentence expired. But B.C. Corrections issued a public warning about him in June of last year, describing him as a high-risk sexual offender.
His plan to live in Surrey after his sentence expired drew condemnation from the city's mayor.
Isaac Ferbey, Mr. Caissie's lawyer, has been tight-lipped about the case. However, in an interview with The Globe and Mail he stressed the court process has only just begun.
"I would ask everyone to remember that he's presumed innocent and there's a process," he said.
Mr. Caissie had been scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 2, but the appearance was pushed back to mid-November. Mr. Ferbey said more time was needed for disclosure.
When asked how his client would plead, Mr. Ferbey said it was too early to comment.
B.C. Justice Minister Suzanne Anton has said the province is reviewing its monitoring procedures to ensure best practices were followed. A government spokesman said that review is not expected to be completed for a couple of weeks.
After Mr. Caissie's arrest last month, federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay said Ottawa is looking at ways it can further protect the public from violent sexual offenders.