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(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

A young offender facing a second-degree murder charge in the 2021 death of Penticton’s Taig Savage is back in custody after breaching bail conditions for the second time in recent days.

The male, whose identity is protected under the Youth Justice Act, recently learned that the Crown will be seeking jail time after he pleaded guilty to an earlier breach.

He was arrested again this past weekend on similar grounds and remains in custody. He is set to appear at a June 9 bail hearing, where his lawyer, Nelson Selemaj, is expected to request release under strict conditions, including 24/7 ankle monitoring. The Crown, however, will ask that he remain jailed pending trial.

Savage, 22, was found unresponsive near Penticton Secondary School on Sept. 5, 2021, and died shortly after being transported to hospital. Police say he had been beaten in a swarming-type attack. He had left home that morning in pajamas and a hoodie, according to investigators.

Four individuals—three of them minors at the time—were arrested in April 2024. The only publicly named suspect is Isaac Hayse Jack, now 22, of Penticton, who has been charged with second-degree murder and remains out on bail. The other three, including the recently re-arrested youth, were originally charged with manslaughter but now face upgraded charges of second-degree murder.

On May 16, the youth pleaded guilty to breaching his court-ordered curfew. The Crown is seeking a 30-day jail sentence for that offence, though this could increase in light of his second arrest. 

Selemaj requested a pre-sentence report, but Crown prosecutor Kurt Froehlich argued it was unnecessary, citing a recent Gladue Report already submitted, which outlines the personal and systemic background of Indigenous offenders.

Judge Greg Koturbash agreed to delay sentencing pending further input from the youth’s community service officer.

Meanwhile, the lone female co-accused, now 19, pleaded guilty to assault last week following a November 2023 road rage incident. She faces up to six months in jail, with sentencing set for June 19. A publication ban protects her identity due to her age at the time of the murder charge.

According to Froehlich, the woman was driving a pickup in a downtown Penticton hotel parking lot when a stranger criticized her driving. After a brief argument, she followed him, parked, approached him on foot, and sucker-punched him in the face. The unprovoked assault was captured on video and later reported to police.

The incident breached her bail, resulting in 13 days of custody before her release under strict conditions. Froehlich told the court it’s “very rare” for someone facing a murder charge to commit another violent offence while on bail, calling the attack “a serious aggravating factor.” He recommended a sentence of three to six months in jail, followed by two years of probation with conditions including anger management, abstinence from substances, no contact with the victim, and DNA submission.

Defence counsel Cory Armour argued for a conditional sentence to be served in the community, noting his client had recently lost her stepfather and learned her charges had been upgraded.

She has since moved in with her grandmother, found full-time work, and accepted responsibility for her actions. Armour introduced five letters of support and emphasized her remorse and positive behaviour since the November incident.

“She is committed to keeping on a straight path,” he told the court, urging that she not be incarcerated. Justice Lynette Jung said she would review the evidence and deliver her decision on June 19. The young woman remains free under her grandmother’s supervision until then.

Earlier this year, Jack elected for a preliminary hearing. Lawyers for the three youth co-accused also indicated they will seek a trial by judge and jury. The three youths will be tried together.

Last fall, during a bail hearing, the youth who recently pleaded guilty was denied a request to attend a 16th birthday party overnight in Osoyoos. 

Although his lawyer argued he would be supervised by family, Justice Jung sided with the Crown, which noted the youth could attend and still return home before his 9 p.m. curfew.

“There was no compelling reason to alter the bail conditions,” Jung said, dismissing the application.

Savage’s mother, reflecting on her son’s life, said he was known for his kindness and work ethic. He had graduated from high school and completed the first-year construction program at Okanagan College. He was proud of never missing a day of work.

“Taig loved people, loved his family. He wasn’t judgmental. He’d talk to a homeless person for hours or help anyone in need,” Tracey Savage said.

“He’d give you the shirt off his back.”

— This article was originally published by the Penticton Herald

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