Accused double murderer makes first court appearance of 2025

A man charged with two counts of murder and one of attempted murder in relation to three stabbings on Montreal Street late last summer made a brief video court appearance today, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, as his case haltingly proceeds.

Andre Wareham appeared by video before Justice of the Peace Ruth Campbell in Kingston's Ontario Court of Justice on Wellington Street. Duty counsel indicated on behalf of Wareham's lawyer, Steven Hinkson, that he was arranging a counsel pre-trial meeting and asked that the matter be adjourned to late January to allow that meeting to occur. When Wareham last appeared in court, duty counsel relayed a similar message from Hinkson, noting Wareham's lawyer was requesting adjournment of the case until January so he could speak with the Crown and set a judicial trial date.

Wareham, who is currently incarcerated at Central East Correctional Centre (CECC) in Lindsay, was quiet and polite. He wore the customary orange jumpsuit of men in provincial custody, as well as a black durag.

A 47-year-old Kingston resident, Wareham was arrested on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, following the fatal stabbings of two people. A third person was also stabbed and sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries. As a result, Wareham stands charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in the violent attacks. The stabbings occurred alongside Montreal Street, in the area around the Integrated Care Hub (ICH) and the adjacent encampment (though not actually in the ICH).

Following the violent incidents, the accused and police ended up in an hours-long standoff. As the standoff continued, police confirmed that two of the three stabbing victims, Taylor Wilkinson, 38, and John Hood, 41, had died. Kingston Police would not identify the third victim, who was hospitalized, to protect that victim's privacy.

The incidents resulted in the closure of the ICH  and the removal of those living in the encampment adjacent to it. It was later confirmed that Wareham lived near the ICH but was not a resident of the encampment.

During the course of several court appearances since Wareham was arrested, the list of people he has been ordered not to contact while in custody has grown to over 50.

Court documents from Thunder Bay show Wareham was charged with another murder in that city in 2009: the stabbing death of a neighbour. Wareham, represented then as now by Hinkson, testified that the killing was done in self-defence. He was ultimately found not guilty of the charge of second-degree murder. 

The current charges against him have not been tested in court.

Kingstonist will continue to follow the matter as it proceeds through the courts.