Trio arrested in relation to 2020 death of Denare Beach man

Almost two years after a Denare Beach man died under suspicious circumstances in Shellbrook, three men have been arrested and face charges in his death.

Saskatchewan RCMP said in a statement issued May 26 that arrests had been made in the death of Wesley Custer, 20 years old at the time of his death. Custer, who was originally from Denare Beach but who had been living around Prince Albert and Montreal Lake in the lead-up to his death according to RCMP, was brought to Shellbrook Hospital August 21, 2020 with what police described at the time as "serious injuries." Custer later died in hospital - police considered his death to be suspicious and began an investigation.

Following Custer's death, police sought out information from the public, including "where Wesley was, what he did, who he was with and what he said during the days leading up to his death," according to an August 2020 Saskatchewan RCMP media release.

Recently, police had a breakthrough in the case around Custer's death, making a trio of arrests this month, all three of which took place in Saskatchewan correctional facilities. 

First, Saskatchewan RCMP, after discussions with Crown prosecutors, arrested a 34-year-old, identified by police as Evan Ledoux, at Prince Albert Correctional Centre in relation to Custer's death. Ledoux was arrested on outstanding charges from Ahtahkakoop RCMP and Prince Albert Police Service earlier this month.

Ledoux faces a charge of manslaughter in Custer's death. Ledoux also faces a long list of charges, including aggravated assault and several weapons-related charges, in relation to the assault of a woman which was reported earlier this month on Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation - the woman required hospitalization for her injuries.

Ledoux, according to Saskatchewan RCMP, will make his next court appearance on the manslaughter charge at Prince Albert Provincial Court June 6.

A second person was arrested and faces a charge in relation to Custer's death last week. The second person, identified by police as 42-year-old Curtis Ledoux, now faces a charge of accessory after the fact to murder and was arrested at Prince Albert Correctional Centre May 22. Ledoux will also appear June 6 at Prince Albert Provincial Court.

The third person arrested, identified as 23-year-old Tyson Lachance by RCMP, was arrested at Saskatoon Correctional Centre May 25. Lachance faces one count of second-degree murder in Custer's death and made his first court appearance in Prince Albert May 26.

None of the charges have been proven in court.