A Burton man has changed his plea from second-degree murder to manslaughter in connection with the death of a 54-year-old Oromocto First Nation woman, Sheri Lynn Sabattis, a member of the Wolastoqey community. Jared Smith was initially charged with second-degree murder in 2024 following the discovery of Sabattis’s body in a Wolastoqey community home on April 27, 2024. The RCMP did not provide details on why the charge against Smith was reduced.
Smith admitted to the manslaughter charge during a tele-remand appearance in Burton Court, according to the RCMP. He is currently in custody and is set to appear in court again on Nov. 9. The trial for the original second-degree murder charge was previously set to commence next month.
