ESTEVAN, Sask. — A lengthy murder trial is getting underway in Court of Kings Bench in Estevan for Taylor Morgan Japp, who is charged with second-degree murder in the April 2024 death of Briana Hayes of Oxbow.
Jury selection was held in the morning of Sept. 2 and is now complete. Crown prosecutor David Belanger gave his opening statement in the afternoon.
The five-week trial is expected to continue until Oct. 9.
Background: On April 24, 2024, the Carlyle RCMP received a report of a possible homicide. The Saskatchewan RCMP Major Crimes Unit took control of the investigation. Hayes' body was found the following day in a rural location in the RM of Moose Mountain.
The second-degree murder charge against Japp was announced on April 26. He was eventually released from custody with conditions.
He has made numerous appearances in Provincial Court and the Court of King’s Bench. A preliminary hearing was held in June 2025 in Carlyle to determine whether there was enough evidence to send Japp’s case to trial.
A co-accused was charged with accessory to murder after the fact. His charge was stayed after his death in the summer of 2025.
SaskToday will continue to monitor this story.
