NANAIMO — Steven Michael Bacon has formally admitted to killing Makayla Chang, but the murder charge he was facing has been downgraded.
During a Monday, Aug. 15 appearance in B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo, Bacon’s lawyer withdrew an earlier not guilty plea to a first degree murder charge before entering a guilty plea to a lesser second degree murder charge in its place.
Both first and second degree murder carry an automatic life sentence, however Bacon’s parole eligibility is now at a judge’s discretion of between 10 and 25 years, rather than a minimum of 25 years.
Bacon appeared in court, in person, outfitted in a black and white shirt with multiple skulls. Court heard he killed Chang on March 17, 2017, the same day she went missing.
The shuffle comes weeks after his lawyer told court his client intended to change his plea. A sentencing date is scheduled to be set on Monday, Aug. 29, with Bacon’s lawyer earlier indicating it could come by the end of the year.
Circumstances leading up to and including Chang’s death are sealed under a court-ordered publication ban.
Remains of Chang were found at an undisclosed location in May 2017, while she was originally reported missing missing around two months prior.
Bacon was not publicly categorized as a suspect by Nanaimo RCMP during the detachment’s lengthy investigation, but rather he was considered a person of interest in Chang’s disappearance and subsequent death.
Nanaimo RCMP previously stated the teenager was often spotted at Bacon’s south Nanaimo home.
He was formally charged with Chang’s murder in September 2020.
Bacon’s guilty plea officially cancels a scheduled BC Supreme Court trial slated to take place in Nanaimo late this year.
A preliminary inquiry last year only lasted a few hours, which satisfied the court enough evidence was presented against Bacon to proceed to trial.
Bacon was initially captured and held in custody after being arrested for an unrelated charge in Fredericton, NB. He was held in custody in Ontario until his transfer to British Columbia last fall.
The lengthy investigation into Chang’s death led to numerous public vigils and other public events to increase awareness to find out what happened to the teen and later obtain justice for her death after her remains were found.
Bacon remain is locked up at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre in Saanich.
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