Police tape surrounds the crime scene on Mill Street in 2017. (CHAT News File Photo)

By Chris Brown

Appeal denied for Medicine Hat man convicted of murder, $1-million extortion

Jul 4, 2023 | 2:02 PM

CALGARY – A Medicine Hat man’s appeal of his March 2021 convictions for first-degree murder and extortion has been dismissed by Alberta’s top court.

Robert Hoefman was convicted by a jury in the October 2017 murder of James Satre and an extortion plot against another community member.

Representing himself in the appeal, Hoefman argued that much of the evidence against him was obtained illegally, such as through CCTV cameras.

But the Court of Appeal ruled that he had no reasonable expectation of privacy in those cases and further found police did not violate his rights.