A man from Chetwynd made a court appearance on Thursday regarding a homicide that occurred in the northeastern B.C. community last year. Kenneth Albert Wood faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Carlene Engellend in Chetwynd in March of last year. Wood, currently held at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, appeared via video in provincial court. During the court session, he was expected to indicate his preference for a trial by jury or judge only. However, the proceedings were postponed to January 20 to allow the Crown to furnish additional evidence to the defense for review. Prosecutors mentioned that they are contemplating more serious charges, with a decision anticipated at Wood’s next court appearance.
Engellend was discovered deceased on March 9 after emergency services responded to a medical emergency call. Initially, the RCMP characterized the death as suspicious and assigned the major crimes unit to investigate. Legal documents reveal that Wood was formally accused of second-degree murder in July of last year, although law enforcement did not disclose this information publicly. Chetwynd, situated in the Eastern Foothills of the Rocky Mountains, lies approximately 240 kilometers north of Prince George, B.C. as the crow flies.
