It's unclear when a trial for accused murderer Stephen Bacon will take place. (Submitted photos/Nanaimo RCMP)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

slow process

Top stories of 2021: Legal process of accused teen murderer drags on

Dec 30, 2021 | 9:30 AM

NANAIMO — While establishing a trial date for a man accused of killing Nanaimo teenager Makayla Chang is advancing, the process is glacially slow.

A preliminary hearing in early November lasted just one day, with accused killer Stephen Michael Bacon electing to advance the matter to trial.

Evidence presented at the hearing fell under a publication ban.

Nearly two months later trial dates for Bacon have not yet been established.

Crown prosecutor Nick Barber told NanaimoNewsNOW a procedural appearance is expected in the new year, but said it’s unclear when a trial would commence in Supreme Court.

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On the surface, little has changed in 2021 after the 61-year-old Bacon pleaded not guilty to first degree murder last year.

However, the desire from Chang’s loved ones and the public for answers to find out what happened to Chang nearly four years after she was murdered is extremely high.

Public outcry of what happened to Chang at times met a feverish pitch during an extended police investigation.

The idea of a killer preying on a vulnerable teenager saddened and sickened the public at large.

Chang was reported missing in March 2017 and her body was found about two months later at an undisclosed location.

Nanaimo RCMP previously said Chang was often spotted at Bacon’s south Nanaimo home.

We’ll have to wait a little bit longer for clarity to hear the Crown’s case against Bacon and potentially some closure for Chang’s family, friends and the community.

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