Crown prosecutors in the murder case of 18-year-old Kimberly Proctor have asked for the two teenaged accused to be sentenced as adults if they are convicted.
The suspects, aged 16 and 18, made their first appearance in a Victoria, B.C., youth courtroom Monday morning. Both remained silent as they were led separately into the court shackled by the legs.
RCMP investigators arrested the two suspects on Friday. Both are now charged with first-degree murder, forcible confinement, sexual assault and indignity to human remains.
Proctor's charred body was found near a bridge on the Galloping Goose Trail in Colwood, B.C., in March.
Because the suspects were under 18 at the time of Proctor's murder, their names cannot be revealed under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
A youth sentence for the teens would mean a minimum jail term of 10 years without parole. This jumps to life with 25 years without parole as an adult.
The pair will remain in custody until their next scheduled court appearance on July 6.
Vancouver Island RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Darren Lagan said the 40-person team investigating Proctor's murder has clocked more than 20,000 hours, and conducted more than 250 formal interviews before the arrests.
With files from CTV British Columbia's Jim Beatty
