A Harbour Grace man has pleaded not guilty to breaching conditions of his release while awaiting trial for first-degree murder.

Forty-two-year-old Matthew Kavanagh is one of three people charged with a gruesome killing in Bay Roberts a year and a half ago.

He, along with 35-year-old Terry Cole and 29-year-old Stephanie Noftall are charged with first-degree murder in the death of 42-year-old Michael Fillier of Spaniard’s Bay.

His remains were found in a pickup that was set on fire and left to burn on Country Road in September of 2024.

The three accused were arrested days later in a nearby home and remained in custody until this time last year, when Kavanagh and Noftall were granted bail, while Cole was denied.

Since then, both Noftall last summer, and later Kavanagh this past February, have been re-arrested, re-joining Cole behind bars.

Kavanagh appeared in court by video from HMP this morning when his lawyer denied breaking conditions of bail and probation on his behalf.

That’ll be contested during a half-day trial for which a date has yet to be set. Meanwhile, Cole and Noftall also have unrelated charges still to be called in Harbour Grace this spring.

The murder trial, by judge and jury, is scheduled to start in October.