The man accused of killing former Cochrane Eagle columnist Billy Powers and his wife Donna Lee Powers will be in court this fall when the results of a psychiatric assessment will be revealed.
Derek Puffer, 39, faces two counts of second-degree murder after the bodies of Billy and Donna Lee were discovered in their Calgary home the morning of July 4, 2013.
Calgary police took Puffer into custody for questioning immediately following the discovery, and said Puffer had led them to the two bodies at approximately 5:20 a.m. in the city’s Braeside community.
Police discovered a knife at the Powers’ residence, but did not indicate whether it was used in the murder.
Puffer, who is the stepson of Billy Powers, is expected to hear the results of the three-month psychiatric assessment, which was conducted at the Southern Alberta Forensic Psychiatric Centre.
If Puffer is found not to be criminally responsible during the October hearing, he could be sent to a mental institution to be rehabilitated and subsequently released once deemed fit.
Puffer would face a life sentence with no possibility of parole for 10-25 years if he were found guilty of second-degree murder.
In addition to writing a sports column for the Eagle for several years, Billy was a broadcaster for the Calgary Stampeders, a newspaper reporter and radio sportscaster.
Billy was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Married to Billy for 24 years, Donna Lee worked at the Calgary Jewish Centre.
Puffer’s court date is scheduled to run from Oct. 20-24.
