By Charles Lefebvre

Bail denied for man charged with first-degree murder

Nov 30, 2018 | 12:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — A request for bail was denied Friday morning for a the man charged in connection with a Medicine Hat murder in 2017

Justice Jim Langston denied the bail request for Robert Hoefman following a nearly two-hour hearing in the Medicine Hat Court of Queen’s Bench.

Hoefman was present during the hearing, seated in the prisoner’s box. He has been in custody for more than a year.

Evidence presented during the bail hearing cannot be reported due to a publication ban.

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Hoefman, 56, was charged with first-degree murder in January in connection with the death of James Satre.

Satre was found dead in the area of Smelter Avenue and Mill Street Southeast on October 11, 2017. Police confirmed they were investigating Satre’s death as suspicious several days later.

In November 2017, Hoefman was charged with one count of extortion, which police allege started in October and is connected with Satre’s murder. A publication ban on the identity of the extortion victim is also in effect.

Hoefman’s case returns to provincial court on December 6th. A trial date has not been set.