Devin Schmit and Darak More are going to trial.

The two men are each facing first-degree murder charges in the death of Rob Vicente of Bladworth.

Schmit and More were at their preliminary hearing, which began Monday, Sept. 10. The hearing was scheduled for three weeks, but ended the next day, Tuesday, after it was decided there was enough evidence to proceed to trial.

There is a publication ban that prohibits reporting on evidence heard at the preliminary hearing.

At Monday’s hearing, Schmit, wearing a black Saskatchewan Roughriders T-shirt under an unbuttoned collared shirt, and More, in a plain grey sweatshirt, appeared at the hearing. They sat in a glassed prisoner’s box at the side of the room. They have remained in custody since their arrest Feb. 11, 2011.

Members of Rob’s family, including his parents and brothers were at the hearing, which took place in a small courtroom in Regina Provincial Court.

On Thursday, Rob’s mother Pam said the abrupt end to the hearing caught them by surprise.

“We sure weren’t expecting it,” Pam said.

Pam and Ferd Vicente have been waiting nearly two years, and had prepared themselves, to hear the Crown’s evidence and to learn what is alleged to have happened to their son Rob, who was 25 when he was last seen at the Shell gas station in Davidson on Oct. 10, 2010.

On Oct. 12, Hanley RCMP was notified that Rob was missing. While family and friends tried to locate Rob, on Oct. 14, 2010 police reported that on Oct. 12 Rob’s burned-out car was found in a vacant farmyard about 29 kilometres west of Davidson.

Meanwhile, many people from Bladworth, Davidson and the wider community took part in extensive ground and air searches for Rob, with no success.

On Feb. 11, 2011, Schmit and More were charged with first-degree murder and robbery. On Feb. 14, 2011 RCMP said they had discovered human remains in a farmyard on the edge of Davidson. The remains were later confirmed to be those of Rob Vicente.

More and Schmit will stand trial in the Court of Queen’s Bench in Regina on first-degree murder charges and robbery with a firearm in connection with the death of Rob Vicente. Schmit and More have pleaded not guilty.

No trial date has been set.