Man charged with murder in connection to 2006 Sask. grad party killing

Saskatchewan RCMP have made an arrest in the death of a 19-year-old at a high school party in Regina Beach, Sask. in 2006.

Misha Pavelick was fatally stabbed during a graduation party near Last Mountain Lake over the May long weekend, roughly 50 kilometres northwest of Regina.

Two others were seriously injured in the incident.

During a news conference Tuesday afternoon, RCMP announced the arrest of 34-year-old man in Regina on Saturday.

The man, who can not be named because he was a youth at the time of Pavelick's death, is charged with second-degree murder.

He appeared in court on Monday and is expected to make his second court appearance in provincial youth court in Regina on July 17.

Pavelick's homicide has remained under investigation for the past 17 years, with the RCMP taking the unusual step of creating a podcast in 2021 in the hopes of generating new leads.

"I cannot begin to imagine how difficult these last 17 years have been waiting for answers following the tragic loss of Misha," Sergeant Major Darryl Milo said during the news conference, addressing Misha's father Lorne Pavelick, who was in attendance.

Milo said following the release of the podcast — a first for the RCMP — numerous tips came in.

While the arrest represents the most significant development in the investigation into Pavelick's death, Milo said the RCMP is still hoping to uncover more information about what happened on the night of May 21, 2006.

"I know this morning's announcement will generate a lot of conversations between the individuals who were at Regina Beach on Last Mountain Lake 17 years ago," Milo said.

"What I hope is that this encourages people to continue to speak up," Milo said.

"When you're 17, when you're 18 — maybe friendship is more important than anything. As people get older, priorities in life change … So I think that really was ultimately what brought us here today," Milo said.

According to Milo, the 34-year-old was arrested without incident and did not turn himself in. He said the accused was 17 years at the time of Pavelick's death and is currently not in custody.

After Milo's remarks, Lorne Pavelick approached the podium to speak, thanking investigators.

“6,246, it sounds like a large number. Well, 6,246 is the days between Misha’s death and today,” he said.

“On behalf of the family, I wanted to express our sincere and grateful thanks." 

Pavelick said RCMP never lost touch with the family and that investigators were "always respectful, always hopeful."

"We the family, we realize this is not the end, just the beginning of the end," he said.

"And it renews our hope for justice for our dear Misha."

Shortly after the 3-episode podcast was released, RCMP divers searched the water in Regina Beach in response to tips received concerning the case.

When speaking to CTV News in 2021 in conjunction with the podcast's launch, Lorne Pavelick recounted the last conversation he had with his son.

"I asked him if he’d be safe and he said 'yes' and 'not to worry,'" Pavelick said. "I told him 'I love you' and he said 'I love you too, dad.' So I’m grateful that I had that opportunity, that I was given that gift to remember."

He later awoke to a frantic phone call from one of his son's friends who was at the party, who said Misha had been stabbed and it didn't look good.

"I asked her to please put the phone down to his ear so I could tell him I love him," Pavelick said in the 2021 interview.

During Tuesday's news conference, Milo said more than 200 separate interviews have been conducted over the years in connection with the investigation.

Milo said he was not in the position to judge how much the podcast impacted the investigation, but people have been more willing to come forward to provide information about what happened the night of the party.

"There were younger people there. It's possible that maybe some of them were reluctant to provide information when they themselves were 17, 18 years old," Milo said.

"And now 17 years later, maybe [they] have more sense of urgency or inclination to do what they feel is right."

According to a previous update from RCMP regarding the case, more than 200 people attended the party where Pavelick was killed. 

--With files from CTV News' Stefanie Davis