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CORNWALL, Ont. — Making his first court appearance in the death of his former girlfriend, Brandon Smeltzer declined his right to an attorney and declared himself “guilty” in a Cornwall courtroom Friday morning.

“I did the crime, I’ll do the time,” he told the court.

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The 25-year-old from Bayside, N.S. faces a first-degree murder charge in the death of Emilie Maheu, 26.

Maheu, who went missing on Oct. 11, was found dead in a farmer’s field near Lancaster, On., two days later. Lancaster is about 20 minutes east of Cornwall.

Smeltzer was arrested in New Brunswick on Thursday and transported by the Ontario Provincial Police to Cornwall overnight.

Standing in the courtroom, Smeltzer appeared calm. The burly man wore blue jeans and a short blue tank top. He refused to speak with defence lawyers before entering the courtroom, despite the advice of Crown attorneys who will be prosecuting the case.