Former fire captain faces extensive preliminary hearing in wife's murder case
More than two weeks of court dates have been set aside for preliminary hearing for James Schwalm, a former fire captain accused of murdering his wife last year.
The Crown and defence counsel addressed working on Agreed Statements of Fact for more than two dozen witnesses. They hope to streamline the process with a handful of witnesses expected to testify in the preliminary hearing in early April and again in May.
Schwalm, 39, did not appear for the focus hearing Wednesday. Counsel Joelle Klein appeared virtually along with Crown Attorneys Lynn Saunders and Rebecca Watson.
Schwalm was arrested on February 2, 2023, and later charged with first-degree murder and indignity to a body following the death of his wife Ashley Milnes, 40.
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Court documents obtained by CTV News allege Schwalm killed his wife inside their Collingwood home then moved and burned her body inside her SUV in late January.
Ashley's burned vehicle was found down an embankment near Highway 26 along Arrowhead Road in the Town of Blue Mountains, her body found inside the crashed vehicle.
Schwalm has been behind bars since his arrest.
The couple had been married for more than 10 years and had two young children together.
Both the Schwalm and Milnes families are prominent members of the community, including ties to the Craigleith Ski Club.
A GoFundMe campaign set up by the Brampton Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 1068 in support of their children has raised about $160,000.
A publication ban prevents any evidence heard in court from being revealed.
The preliminary hearing is scheduled to begin April 2 in Collingwood.
The allegations against the accused have not been tested in court.
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