Jury selection underway for man and woman charged with death of Nadia Gonzales

The trial of two people accused of murdering Nadia Gonzales is getting underway in Halifax, more than two years after her death.

Jury selection began Monday in Nova Scotia Supreme Court. Once that’s complete, the trial of Calvin Maynard Sparks, 26, and Samanda Rose Ritch, 22, will begin.

Sparks and Ritch are both charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

They both pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Gonzales was found on June 16, 2017, when police responded to a call of an assault at a building on Hastings Drive in Dartmouth. She was pronounced dead at the scene. An unidentified man  suffered life-threatening injuries.

Sparks and Ritch were arrested and charged the next day. Both have been in jail since then. Sparks never applied for bail and Ritch’s application was denied.

The two will appear in court Tuesday to continue with the jury selection process. The trial is scheduled to last 19 days.