New details of Jamie Sark's death emerge as Lennox Island man pleads guilty to manslaughter

Warning: This story contains details that may be disturbing to readers.

Christopher Douglas Sark of Lennox Island, P.E.I., has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Jamie Sark.

The plea was entered in Summerside court on Thursday morning. 

The body of Jamie Sark, 28, was found in a heavily wooded area of Lennox Island, off P.E.I.'s North Shore, in November of 2021.

Sark was a member of the Lennox Island First Nation. He had been missing since late August, with his disappearance leading to an intense search that at times extended to the other Maritime provinces.

In April, RCMP arrested 32-year-old Christopher Sark and he was charged with manslaughter in the death. 

Blow to the head during fight

An autopsy had been unable to determine Jamie Sark's exact cause of death.

However, the agreed statement of facts, read into the record by the Crown prosecutor, fill in some of the blanks about what happened.

Christopher Sark and his victim, both heavily intoxicated, got into a fight outside a residence one night in August last year.

Sark told police he forcefully hit his victim once in the head, which lead to Jamie Sark's death. He also struck him with a bottle after he was dead. 

It wasn't until November, months later, that Jamie Sark's body was found in a wooded area on the reserve.

That followed repeated searches on and off reserve by the family, community and police.

Unable to prove anyone else was involved

Christopher Sark told police he later went to his mother's home and did not witness what happened to Jamie Sark's body after the fight.

The Crown prosecutor told court that investigators were unable to substantiate that anyone else was present during the death of Jamie Sark or involved in moving his remains.

After court today, Jamie Sark's sisters told CBC News they still believe others were involved.

Two witnesses interviewed during the investigation said Christopher Sark had confessed to killing Jamie Sark, and Christopher Sark turned himself in to police on April 25.

Speaking outside court in Summerside Thursday morning, Jamie Sark's mother Joyce Sark told CBC News "it's a long road and it's hard when all of a sudden ... your son's missing."

She said after two or three months had passed since his August disappearance, she had no hope of Jamie being found alive.

Sark and members of her family have attended every court appearance since Christopher Sark was charged, including the one Thursday during which he pleaded guilty.

"A lot of them out there don't have the closure that we're getting," she said, referring to other families looking for missing loved ones. 

Christopher Sark is scheduled to return to Summerside court for sentencing on Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. AT. 

"Our thoughts are with Jamie Sark's family and loved ones during this difficult time," the RCMP's Sgt. Chris Gunn said in a news release after the plea was entered. "The RCMP would like to thank the community for their patience and support during this investigation."