He’s accused of murder. His wife’s body has never been found. What we know ahead of the Greg Fertuck trial.

SASKATOON -

Though family and friends refer to her in past tense, Sheree Fertuck’s body has never been found.

Fertuck was last seen on Dec. 7, 2015, leaving her family farm near Kenaston, Sask. to haul gravel.

Fertuck’s semi-truck was found abandoned at the gravel pit. Her keys, cellphone and coat were still inside.

For weeks, police and members of the community searched the area.

But each search – even the ones involving cadaver dogs, police planes and underwater rescue teams – came up empty.

On April 11, 2016, RCMP declared Fertuck’s disappearance a homicide.

Years later, on June 24, 2019, a break in the case: police charged Fertuck’s estranged husband, Greg Fertuck.

Greg and Fertuck had three children together, but at the time of Fertuck’s disappearance, the two had been separated.

Greg is charged with first-degree murder and offering an indignity to a body.

Following a two-week preliminary hearing in January 2020, a judge decided the Crown had enough evidence to take the case to trial.

Greg’s judge-alone trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday at Court of Queen’s Bench.

The trial was originally scheduled to begin in March, but was postponed to September due to COVID-19.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Cory Bliss says the Crown may call more than 50 witnesses to testify — including police officers, experts, and Fertuck’s family and friends.

The trial is slated to last eight weeks.

Do you have a story idea or news tip? Email us.