Jury trial begins for man accused in 2006 killing at Saskatchewan camping party

REGINA – A high school party nearly two decades ago in Saskatchewan began like any other but ended in chaos, blood and a 19-year-old’s death, a prosecutor told a jury trial Monday. 

Adam Breker made the remarks in his opening statement during the trial for a man accused of killing Misha Pavelick at the camping party near Regina Beach in May 2006.

The man, who can’t be named because he was a youth at the time, has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing. 

“By the end of the evidence … you’ll have a very clear picture of what happened there on that night, what happened to Misha Pavelick and who is to blame,” Breker told court.

He said students at a high school rented out the campground for the weekend, with chaperones overseeing the event. 

Court heard there were about 100 teenagers drinking, having fun and enjoying a bonfire. The chaperones checked wristbands before admitting partygoers to the site. 

But some who weren’t invited to the party showed up, including the accused, court heard. Some also brought knives. 

Breker told court those not invited were let into the campground without much fuss.

“The group’s arrival changed the mood rather dramatically,” he said.

Also among those not invited were Pavelick’s ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend. Pavelick was not happy about the relationship, court heard. 

At the party, Pavelick was seen getting into a fight with the boyfriend, striking his head with a beer bottle, Breker said. Others joined the fight, including the accused, hitting Pavelick to the point where he was on the ground.

Court heard the teenagers briefly stopped fighting and left Pavelick, who got up to go argue with his ex-girlfriend. 

But the teenagers came back for Pavelick a second time, attacking him viciously. 

As Pavelick lay there, more fights broke out and some of his attackers left. Another boy was stabbed that night in a separate fight. 

Court heard the other teenagers at the campground were distracted by the other fights and didn’t see Pavelick get stabbed.

“But we expect the evidence to show that during that time, it was (the accused) continuing to assault Misha,” Breker said. 

Pavelick died with gashes to his head and a stab wound straight through his heart, before first responders could get to the campground, Breker told court.  

News of the stabbing spread, sparking what Breker called widespread panic. “Almost like a stampede toward the exits,” he said. 

Court heard the accused was driving a white Buick Skylark that night. 

Breker said he was later seen at the pier, telling people about the fight he was in. 

It’s alleged the accused told his friend he stabbed someone — and that person was Pavelick. 

“We expect the evidence will convince you that he’s the only one that checks all the boxes,” Breker told court. 

“He had access to and possessed the knife, he was undoubtedly actively participating in the assault on Misha when he was stabbed, and after the fact that he said that he’d done so.”

The trial is scheduled to continue Tuesday and into the coming weeks with testimony from police officers, a doctor and those who were at the party.

RCMP charged the accused two years ago after launching a podcast about the case, leading to additional tips. The accused was 34 at the time of his arrest.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 20, 2025.