EDMONTON — A judge has denied bail to a man accused of killing two Metis hunters northeast of Edmonton.

Jacob Sansom, 39, and Maurice Cardinal, 57, were shot and killed on a rural road near Glendon, Alta., in March.

Anthony Bilodeau, 31, and Roger Bilodeau, 56, both face two counts of second-degree murder.

The younger Bilodeau was denied bail in an Edmonton courtroom on Tuesday.

Members of the Metis Nation of Alberta rallied outside the courthouse prior to the bail hearing, with many holding signs saying “No Justice No Peace” and “Their Lives Matter” with pictures of Sansom and Cardinal.

A statement from the group says both victims were citizens of the Metis Nation.

Family and friends have said the two were hunting to feed their families when they were killed.

RCMP have said a verbal confrontation escalated into a fight between the occupants of two vehicles parked on the road northeast of Edmonton when Sansom and Cardinal were shot.

“Our communities must feel safe as we work to uphold our traditional ways of life, including harvesting,” said a statement Tuesday from the Metis Nation of Alberta.

“The MNA maintains a strong stand against violence and racism in all its ugly forms.”

Sansom’s wife, Sarah Sansom, said in an interview last month that she wasn’t sure if racism played a role in the deaths, adding she couldn’t understand why it happened.

Outside court Tuesday, she said she hasn’t slept in two-and-a-half months but may be able to now.

“I can sleep tonight,” she said of the bail decision.

“My kids don’t have to be afraid. I don’t have to be afraid.” (CTV and The Canadian Press)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 16, 2020.

The Canadian Press