Three people charged with first-degree murder in missing Sarnia man’s death

Three people, including an Aamjiwnaang First Nation man with a long criminal record, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a Sarnia man who was reported missing nearly a year ago.

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Brad Ogilvie, 41, was first reported missing by his family late last November. Police renewed a plea for tips in his disappearance one month later.

On Friday, Sarnia police said the missing person investigation has turned into a homicide probe and multiple people were arrested in various locations throughout the city, but they didn’t release any names, saying a press conference will be held Monday.

Three people appeared Saturday in a virtual Southwestern Ontario courtroom from Sarnia police headquarters charged with first-degree murder: Robin Maness, 44, Trevor Waller, 47, and Niki Cottrelle, 42.

Court documents allege the offense took place at some point between Oct. 28 and Nov. 5. Police previously said Ogilvie was last seen in the 300 block of Christina Street South on the weekend of Nov. 18-19 and was reported missing Nov. 22 .

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All three accused – Cottrelle was wearing a flower-patterned shirt with brown and dyed blonde hair, Maness a black T-shirt with graying brown hair, and Waller an orange jumpsuit with a shaved head and gray facial hair – said little during their brief court appearances. They were all kept in custody and had their cases adjourned to Monday.

While in jail they’re banned from talking to each other and to six other people, including two Ogilvie family members.

Maness and Cottrelle are both from Aamjiwnaang First Nation. It’s unclear where Waller is from.

Maness was one of Seven people arrested amid a $47,000 drug bust in Sarnia and Corunna in July. He recently got bail and was due back in court Sept. 19 before his Friday arrest.

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Maness was charged in 2012 with the attempted murder of a Sarnia police officer after he drove towards officers who were trying to arrest him for a home invasion. One of the officers fired two bullets at his SUV.

He was later acquitted of attempted murder, but was convicted of dangerous driving and fleeing police and was sentenced to more than two years in jail. The home invasion charges were later dropped.

Maness got another 150 days in jail in December 2014 for having break-in tools and drugs. In 2015, he was sentenced to about one year in jail after he was caught with brass knuckles, shotgun shells and stolen knives

He got two more months behind bars in 2021 for a senseless act in Lambton Mall.

Cottrelle, meanwhile, is facing other outstanding charges from 2021 and 2023 including theft, stealing a vehicle, and breaching lease. A bench warrant was previously issued for Cottrelle before her Friday arrest.

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Police have not said how Ogilvie died or where or if his body was recovered. It’s also unclear if there will be more arrests.

“This investigation is still active and expected to continue over the weekend,” police said in Friday’s statement. “Investigators believe there are others who have information relevant to this investigation and are encouraging them to come forward.”

There’s been an outpouring of grievance on social media since police announced the investigation was a homicide Friday afternoon.

“Brad was a great guy and so was his older brother and father. I am sad to hear this. Rest in peace Brad. My condolences go out to the family,” Jason Jay Richards wrote.

“Such a devastating outcome. Condolences to the Ogilvie family and friends,” Tracey Arnold commented.

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“Deepest condolences to all who loved Brad. Our whole community mourns with you… so sorry,” Terri Kallies wrote.

Ogilvie went to the former Sarnia Collegiate high school and Lambton College and worked for the Carpenters Local 1256, according to his Facebook page. He lived in Sarnia and Petrolia, it says.

This is the second homicide investigation in Sarnia this year. Adam Bishop, 40, of Sarnia was charged in February with murder and committing an indignity to a dead body in the death of Christopher Michael Bond, 66, after a body was pulled from a Queen Street apartment.

These are only the second Sarnia-Lambton homicide investigations since 2022, but the period from March 2020 to October 2022 was one of the region’s deadliest in recent memory.

Lambton OPP also recently renewed a plea for tips in the search for a missing Sarnia woman, whose family fears the worst.

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