Two years almost to the day after Burnaby’s Branson Sanders’ dead body was found, three guilty pleas were made this week in relation to his murder, according to an integrated homicide investigation team announcement.
On Dec. 5, Burnaby resident Shakib Shakib and Surrey resident Brandon Nandon, both 20 years old, pled guilty to manslaughter in Surrey Provincial Court in connection to Sanders’ homicide. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for March 7, 2014.
The day before, a 17-year-old young offender pled guilty, at the Surrey Provincial Court, to attempting to obstruct justice, in relation to the case. The young offender’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 18, 2014. The youth’s name could not be released because they are underage.
Sanders’ badly burned body was found in the bushes off Fareham Avenue and Elwell Street on Dec. 2, 2011. He lived in Burnaby, graduated from Cariboo Hill Secondary and was 20 years old at the time of his death.
Police believed his remains were dumped in the Edmonds area, but his death actually occurred at a residence in the 18000 block of 55 Avenue in Surrey.
Three months after locating Sanders’ remains, the RCMP’s integrated homicide investigation team arrested and charged Nandan and Shakib with second-degree murder. At the time, investigators believed Shakib had fled to Alberta and was returning to B.C.
Police arrested Shakib in Clearwater on March 6, 2012. On Nov. 21, 2012, the charges were raised to first-degree murder, and each also faced additional charges of indignity to a dead body.
