Christina Noudga bail hearing underway in Tim Bosma slaying
A bail hearing being held in a Hamilton court for Christina Noudga, the Toronto-area woman who is charged as an accessory after the fact in the death of Ancaster, Ont., man Tim Bosma, will continue Thursday.
Noudga, 21, is the third person to be charged after Bosma's charred remains were found on a Waterloo-area farm last year. The 32-year-old was last seen by his wife when he left his home to take two men on a test drive of a pickup truck he had for sale.
Noudga has been identified as the girlfriend of Dellen Millard, 28, who is one of two men facing first-degree murder charges in Bosma's death.
Noudga was led into the courtroom in leg shackles Wednesday, wearing a white sleeveless shirt and jeans with high-heeled brown boots. She smiled at her parents and several supporters as she entered the prisoner’s box.
Though evidence pertaining to the Bosma trial was discussed in court, a publication ban exists on the proceedings — something that is common at bail hearings. The hearing is being handled in Superior Court.
As Noudga was ushered out of the courtroom at the end of the day Wednesday, she waved to a row of supporters and mouthed, "Bye."
Representatives from Bosma’s family were also in court, including his father, Hank. Bosma's widow, Sharlene, was not present, which was at the request of the Crown, sources say. She is expected to be called as a witness during the trial, as she was one of the last people to see Bosma alive.
In a previous interview, Crown Attorney Anthony Leitch said the charge against Noudga relates to an allegation that she tried to help Millard "escape" on May 9, 2013. He would not elaborate as to what was meant by escape, or from whom. Police had at one time speculated there was a third person involved in Bosma’s abduction and slaying, but Leitch said Noudga likely had no part in it.
Bosma disappeared on May 6 and his remains were found on May 14.
Millard and Mark Smich, 26, of Oakville, have been held in jail since being charged with first-degree murder in Bosma's death.
Millard is also charged with first-degree murder in the 2012 deaths of his father Wayne and Toronto resident Laura Babcock, 23, whom he was reportedly seeing casually.
Smich has also been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Babcock, who was reported missing in the summer of 2012.
Toronto and Hamilton police are still investigating the deaths of Bosma, Babcock and Millard's father, but the three cases have now been streamlined under the Ontario Provincial Police major case management system.
The system is used so that valuable information that links multiple cases can be shared between police forces where serial predators and offenders are concerned.
