Man convicted, then acquitted, of Candace Derksen’s 1984 slaying charged with recent sexual assault in Vancouver

A former Manitoba man, convicted and then cleared in one of the province’s highest-profile murder cases, is in custody in Vancouver, charged with unlawful confinement and sexual assault, the Free Press has learned.

Mark Edward Grant, the man ultimately found not guilty in the abduction and killing of 13-year-old Candace Derksen 41 years ago, is being held by the Vancouver Police Department for an incident that occurred Jan. 8, Const. Megan Lui said Tuesday.

“Currently Mark Edward Grant is in custody, and the investigation is ongoing at this time, so I can’t speak into detail about the case,” Lui said in an email.

Grant was formally charged Tuesday with unlawful confinement, sexual assault with a weapon, assault with a weapon and uttering threats. Vancouver police did not provide any additional information regarding the circumstances of the charges or the victim.

Grant, who is now in his 60s was, for years, the prime suspect in Candace Derksen’s slaying.

The Grade 7 student failed to return home from Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute in Winnipeg’s Elmwood neighbourhood on Nov. 30, 1984, leading to one of the largest searches conducted by police and members of the public in the city’s history.

Her body was found inside an old machinery shed about 500 metres from her home on Jan. 17, 1985. Her hands and feet were tied behind her back, and it was determined she died of hypothermia.

More than 20 years later, in 2006, the Winnipeg Police Service quietly launched Project Angel, in a new bid to solve the slaying. Forensic samples were sent to an Ontario lab for new testing, and investigators worked to obtain Grant’s DNA.

He was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in May 2007. Grant’s trial began in January 2011, and a jury convicted him of second-degree murder the next month. He was given a mandatory life sentence, and the judge ruled Grant would serve at least 25 years in prison.

Manitoba’s Court of Appeal overturned the verdict in October 2013. The court ruled the trial judge erred by not allowing the jury to hear evidence that could have pointed to another suspect, and took into account potential problems with DNA evidence.

In March 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada agreed with the decision to overturn the conviction. Grant’s second trial began in January 2017, nearly six years to the day after his first trial began. A judge acquitted Grant of second-degree murder in October 2017.

The new charges have reignited pain for Wilma Derksen, who has long searched for the truth about what happened to her child.

“For over 40 years, our family has walked a journey of forgiveness regarding the loss of Candace. That decision was made to release our own hearts from bitterness and to survive our grief. We have not wavered in that; we have let go of the need for revenge regarding Candace’s death,” Derksen told the Free Press Tuesday.

“However, forgiveness has never meant ignoring the safety of others or the pursuit of truth. We are heartbroken to hear (of) charges involving another person.”

She said her thoughts are now with the victim and their family.

“We know the agony of the unknown and the pain of waiting for answers. Our hearts and prayers are with any family currently walking through that shadow,” Derksen said.

“We trust the justice system to uncover the truth of these new allegations. As we ponder this we will continue to pray — the truth to come out — as we explore the essence of love.”

Despite their long, tumultuous journey through the legal system, Derksen said her family appreciates the efforts police made to find her daughter’s killer.

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“They are there for us — for everyone — to keep us safe,” she said.

The new charges against Grant have not been tested in court. He has not had a bail hearing, and his next appearance is slated for Jan. 28, Lui said.

A spokesperson for Ontario-based lawyer Lawrence Greenspon confirmed he is acting as Grant’s legal counsel in an ongoing civil matter. Greenspon was not immediately available for an interview Tuesday afternoon.

In 2019, Grant launched a civil claim against 13 defendants, including the Manitoba government. He sought $8.5 million in damages for wrongful conviction and imprisonment.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca

Tyler Searle
Reporter

Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press’s city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic’s creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler.

Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.