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Colin John in court again this summer

John accused of second-degree murder of Derek Descoteau in May
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Derek Descoteau was stabbed to death in Chemainus last May

The Chemainus man charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Derek Descoteau last May is scheduled to face a preliminary inquiry this summer.

A judge will decide at the inquiry, which will be held over four days in Duncan on July 27-28 and July 31-Aug. 1, if there’s enough evidence and information for Colin John, 25, to stand trial for the death of the 20-year-old Descoteau.

Crown prosecutor Ken Paziuk said the preliminary inquiry was originally scheduled to be held on March 28, but was postponed as more information and evidence in the case was being gathered.

John has also been charged with the attempted murder of a 16-year-old girl from the Cowichan Valley in the same incident.

John has been in custody in Victoria since the incident on May 20.

The stabbing took place in a single-family house on Caswell Street in Chemainus.

Descoteau and the girl were allegedly attacked in the front yard of the residence by John, who had a knife. The girl, whose name was not released because she is a minor, suffered knife wounds to her neck and was treated in hospital as a result of the attack, while Descoteau died while being transported to hospital.

John was arrested at the scene, treated for minor injuries in hospital and taken into custody after a brief appearance in a Duncan courtroom.