Moncton Man Admits to Helping Hide Woman Wanted for Murder

The 20-year-old Moncton woman who was on the run for 10 weeks following a brutal murder hid from police with help from the father of her four-year-old kid, according to the man's guilty plea.

Stephen Nathan Nagle was supposed to appear in a pre-trial hearing on Monday, but instead pled guilty to being an accessory after the fact to the first-degree murder of 18-year-old Baylee Wylie. The 22-year-old admitted he knew Marissa Shephard was wanted in connection with the murder, but helped her anyway, reports the CBC. Wylie was found dead in a burnt-out home on December 17. Police described the murder as "extremely violent." Devin Morningstar, 18, was the first to be arrested and charged in connection with the murder. RCMP later put out warrants for Marissa Shephard and Tyler Noel, also on murder and arson charges. Noel was caught in early January. But Shephard remained at large for a full two and a half months. At the time, her father suggested she may be dead, while Nagle said he believed she was a victim, not a fugitive. She was found outside a motel with Nagle and Krystal Toole on March 1. In an earlier court appearance, Nagle did not admit to helping Shephard escape. "I thought she was dead," he told a courtroom in tears on March 2. "I went to convince her to turn herself in." Nagle was sentenced to nine months in jail and one year probation. The two months he's already spent in custody since March 1 will count toward that sentence. Nagle had already pled guilty to violating a court order. He was ordered to have no contact with his co-accused Toole, and banned from owning or possessing a firearm. Shephard will return to court June 3 to hear charges of first-degree murder and arson. Morningstar will stand trial on October 18. Follow Sarah on Twitter.