‘We are the victims’: Partner of murdered Lumby woman says he’s been kept in the dark

The partner of murdered Lumby woman Tatjana Stefanski, says it’s a slap in the face that the man accused of her murder has managed to have his trial moved from Vernon to Kamloops.

Tatjana’s partner, Jason Gaudreault, had planned to be in court every day throughout the five-week trial, but will now face a three-hour round trip to turn up in person.

“He’s got way more rights than… I do. And I’m the victim. And these children are the victim,” Gaudreault told iNFOnews.ca.

“We are the victims. We are going to suffer the rest of our lives for this. He’s not.”

On Nov. 26, BC Supreme Court Justice Bradford Smith allowed the trial to be moved to Kamloops after Vitali Stefanski’s lawyer argued there were inadequate facilities for him to have access to his client if the trial was held in Vernon.

Gaudreault had planned to be there every day when the trial starts next May.

He’s also annoyed about the lack of communication from the BC Prosecution Service, as he only found out the defence lawyer was going to try to change the venue 20 minutes before the hearing. The Crown did argue not to move the trial, but lost.

“They’re not telling me what’s going on,” Gaudreault said. “They’re basically treating me like it doesn’t matter to me. It’s their case, and I have nothing to do with it.”

Gaudreault had been together with Tatjana for five years when, in April 2024, when she was reported missing.

The following day, her body was found in a rural area outside Lumby, and her ex-husband, Vitali Stefanski, was arrested.

However, 24 hours later, with no charges pending Vitali was released.

He was put on a release order not to go near Gaudreault’s home, where he lived with Tatjana’s two children.

Vitali ignored the order and, within three hours of being released, was arrested again near the home.

However, he was released again.

Police said they’d swing by the house a couple of times a day, but worrying about his family’s safety, Gaudreault and the two children left town.

Gaudreault says they went on the run. They stayed at several friends’ places, constantly moving, and borrowed vehicles as he knew Vitali would recognize his. The kids went to school, but the doors were locked each day, and the staff were briefed that Vitali may turn up.

After an agonizing 58 days, Vitali was charged with the second-degree murder of Tatjana and Gaudreault and the kids returned home.

He remains in custody with the court proceedings due to start next April and the trial in May.

While Vitali was now behind bars, Gaudreault’s stress didn’t end there. As the two children were Tatjana’s and Vitali’s, he had no legal guardianship over them.

An online fundraiser set up after Tatjana’s death paid his lawyer’s fees as he applied for and was successful in getting guardianship. It cost him $10,000.

“I don’t know if I’ve even been able to grieve yet. It’s like daily, there’s something new every day,” Gaudreault said.

The fact that the trial has now been moved is another added pressure after everything that has gone on.

He planned to be there every day. Moving the location will make this considerably harder. It’s also thought that a dozen or two supporters would also join.

Throughout, Gaudreault has raised the children and continued to run his business. 

“We’re not even in trial and I’m exhausted,” he says.

Gaudreault is remarkably resilient as he sits and tells his story.

While Victims’ Services have offered counselling and support, it’s not as accessible as he would like. A round trip to a counsellor for the children takes time, and there are no at-home visits.

“I don’t even know if I should be getting mad or if I should cry,” Gaudreault said. “I just feel so lost and so broken from the whole system.”

Tatjana was three days away from being on the deed of Gaudreault’s home when she was murdered.

“There’s nothing more in this world I want than to have her back,” he said. “But my understanding of this is she’ll never come back. I’ll never have her back. So there are only two ways about it. Do I curl up in a ball and go into depression? Or do I thrive up and move on with my life and remember her the best that I can,” he said.

“And that’s what I’m doing. And the reason why I’m doing that is because I have her children. They’re my children now.”

A foundation has also been set up in Tatjana’s name. Tatjana Martin Foundation of Hope is in its early days, but it has its not-for-profit status and a board, and hopes to fill the gaps in current services. 

The BC Prosecution Service were not immediately available for comment.