John Moses Bird, was struck and killed by a vehicle on his 49th birthday. (Submitted photo)

By Nigel Maxwell

Solved

Charges laid decade after fatal hit-and-run

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The arrest this week of a young woman from Montreal Lake Cree Nation, represents the end of a family’s nearly ten-year-old search for closure.

Jody Roberts, 32, faces one count, of failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

John Moses Bird, 49, was struck and killed during a hit and run incident in the Montreal Lake Cree Nation on April 3, 2011, which also happened to be his birthday. Gloria Naytowhow, Bird’s older sister, met with investigators on Thursday, and told paNOW the family has mixed emotions about the news.

“We were crying, we were angry, we were happy and relived,” she said.

Every year on the anniversary of her brother’s death, as a way to raise awareness about the case, the Naytowhow family has participated in a walk, and they plan to continue the tradition this year.

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“It’ll be a memorial walk with closure,” Naytowhow explained.

In past years, the family walked on the Montreal Lake First Nation, but due to COVID restrictions, they opted to change their route this year. On April 3 at noon, the family will meet outside Prince Albert Provincial Court, and plan to walk to Little Red park.

Statement from the RCMP

Throughout the ten year investigation, the following units have been involved: Montreal Lake RCMP Detachment, Waskesiu RCMP Detachment, La Ronge RCMP Detachment, Prince Albert RCMP Detachment, Prince Albert General Investigation Section, RCMP Major Crime Unit North, Prince Albert Forensic Identification Section, F Division Traffic Services Collision Reconstruction, Prince Albert Polygraph Unit, and the F Division Criminal Analytical Section

“I was the first officer on scene back in 2011 and I’ve continued to work on this file in one capacity or another these past nearly ten years.,” Cst. Antal of PA GIS shared in a statement. “We’re also mindful that the family and the community as a whole has been waiting for answers for just as long.”

Antal went on to explain this was an enormous file with some investigational avenues exhausted, lots of people to speak to, evidence to sift through and many tips coming in each year which were followed up on.

“Being able to propel this case forward and have charges laid…as an investigator, it’s a good feeling and especially a good feeling if it helps to bring some sense of closure to a family who has been through so much,” he said.

In the same statement from RCMP, Sgt. Chris Hansen, Officer in Charge of PA GIS, explained from the onset of the investigation there were hurdles to overcome.

“Multiple vehicles were examined and determined to be unrelated,” he said. “The resulting charges speaks to the hard work and diligence of the team and investigators. Cst. Antal never gave up. Our entire team supported him and I’m proud of every one of them.”

Roberts appeared in court Thursday via phone, and her next scheduled court date is in Montreal Lake on April 1.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell