One of the three men convicted of manslaughter in the high-profile killing of Wesley Hallam in 2011 is now wanted for attempted murder in connection with a Sunday shooting on Beverley Street.
Eric Mearow, 37, is wanted for attempted murder and a variety of weapons-related offences in connection with the early morning shooting that occurred over the weekend, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.
Mearow's alleged accomplice, 40-year-old Travis Parsons, was arrested Monday night and charged with multiple offences, including attempted murder, discharging a firearm and assault with a weapon.
“The firearm related to the shooting incident has not been recovered and Mr. Mearow should be considered armed and dangerous,” the police release says.
Along with Dylan Jocko and Ronald Mitchell, Mearow pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the killing of Wesley Hallam, who was stabbed during a drug-fuelled house party in January 2011.
The guilty pleas, announced in 2016, outraged many in Sault Ste. Marie because it meant those involved in the deadly attack would only serve two more years in prison. Police had originally charged the trio with first-degree murder, which upon conviction carries an automatic sentence of life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 25 years.
Full text of the news release follows:
As a result of the ongoing investigation into a shooting incident that took place on May 29, 2022 in the 200 block of Beverley Street, officers have identified two suspects in an attempted murder of a victim and another incident that took place at another residence in the 200 block of Beverley Street where another victim was threatened and assaulted. The victim in this incident sustained minor injuries.
They are 37-year-old Eric Mearow of Batchewana First Nation and 40-year-old Travis Parsons of Sault Ste. Marie.
Around 8 p.m. on May 30, 2022, officers with the Crime Suppression Unit and the Emergency Services Unit arrested 40-year-old Travis Parsons in connection with the two Beverley Street incidents on May 29, 2022.
He is charged with
• Careless Use of a Firearm
• Pointing a Firearm
• Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing Possession is Unauthorized
• Possession of a Loaded Firearm
• Attempt Murder
• Discharging a Firearm
• Uttering Threats
• Assault with a Weapon
• Extortion Using a Firearm
• Possession of a Firearm Contrary to Prohibition Order x2
• Fail to Comply with Judicial Release Order – Being Outside his Residence not Related to Medical Emergency or in Presence of Surety
• Fail to Comply with Judicial Release Order – Being in Possession of a Weapon
• Breach of Probation – Being in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition
• Breach of Probation – Failing to Keep the Peace and be of Good Behaviour
He was held in custody pending a bail hearing and was remanded into custody. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 1, 2022.
A warrant has been requested and issued for the arrest of Mr. Mearow for attempt murder and various firearm offences. The firearm related to the shooting incident has not been recovered and Mr. Mearow should be considered armed and dangerous. If you see Mr. Mearow or know his whereabouts, DO NOT approach him, call 911 immediately.
This remains an active investigation. If anyone has information about the incident, they are urged to contact Detective Sergeant Joe Addison at 705-949-6300 ext. 387.
You can provide information anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 705-942-7867 or 1-800-222-8477. You can also click here to submit a web tip or download the P3 app. Your tip to Crime Stoppers is anonymous and protected by case law, for more information click here.