Biker gang murder suspects appear in court

Four of the five suspects in the killing of eight members of the Bandidos biker gang made brief court appearances in St Thomas, Ontario, today via a video link from jail.

Two suspects – Eric Niessen, 45, and Kerry Morris, 56, both of Monkton, Ontario – were told their next court date is April 20.

Frank Mather, 32, of Dutton-Dunwich Township, and Brett Gardiner, 21, of no fixed address, had their cases put over until April 24.

That’s the same day Wayne Kellestine is scheduled to make his court appearance to be formally charged with eight counts of first-degree murder in the shootings of the eight men.

Kellestine, 56, is the only full member of the Bandidos.

The bodies of the dead men, all either “full-patch” members or affiliated with the Texas-based gang, were found last Saturday near Shedden in south-western Ontario, near Kellestine’s farmhouse.

The three remaining members of the Toronto Bandidos, who call themselves the No Surrender Crew, told the Toronto Star the murders were “an isolated act of madness”.