The Natasha Ross murder case was spoken to Friday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court. (Facebook)

By Nigel Maxwell

Court Proceedings

Family of Prince Albert murder victim seeks justice

Aug 13, 2021 | 4:00 PM

Some new information has come to light in a Prince Albert murder case – the man alleged to have caused the death of a young woman, was the same person implicated in the death of her father ten years prior.

Corey Alexander Clarke, 33, is currently facing a charge of second degree murder in the death of Natasha Ross last May.

Ross was found unresponsive when police and paramedics arrived at a West Hill residence. She was soon after pronounced deceased and days later, police confirmed they were treating the case as a homicide.

paNOW has learned that in Feb. 2011, Clarke was also charged with manslaughter in the death of Ross’ father Victor Vanderkracht. RCMP indicated at the time that the 40-year-old man was found unconscious on a road on the Bells Point reserve. He died in hospital.

The autopsy determined he did not die of natural causes and the death was deemed suspicious. The charge was however stayed in November, 2011. While the exact reason is unclear, a number of factors may influence a Crown’s decision to stay a charge including lack of witnesses willing to testify, or just the overall likelihood of a conviction being reached.

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Clarke’s attendance was waived when his matters were spoken to Friday morning at Prince Albert Provincial Court. However nearly a dozen of Ross’s friends and family were present, some travelling from as far away as La Ronge for the hearing. Ross’ first cousin Carla Powell agreed to speak to paNOW outside the courthouse and said it was important for the family to be there.

“Corey Clarke has caused a lot of heartache and trauma to our family,” she said.

In addition to the recent murder charge, Clarke also faces three court related breaches. According to court records at La Ronge Provincial Court, Clarke was charged last November with sexual assault, and his subsequent bail related release conditions included he not leave the community, nevertheless the province.

With respect to his most recent murder charge, Clarke was found in Nunavut on July and arrested by Baker Lake RCMP outside a mining exploration camp. Powell said it’s obvious Clarke thought he could run and hide.

“I thought he was a coward. That is a cowardly thing to do considering the hurt and pain that he’s created in my family and the community of La Ronge,” she said. “Natasha Ross had a six year old son that now has no mother.”

Corey Clarke remains in custody at the Prince Albert Correctional Centre. The file related to the murder charge was adjourned to Sept. 13, and his matters in La Ronge are scheduled to be spoken to on Aug. 19.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell