Vernon men charged with murder return to court

VERNON – A pair of local men accused in the murder of 42-year-old Jason Hardy were in Vernon Provincial Court again this week.

Brandon Joseph Clayton Wellington, 18, and Tal Kalum La Riviere, 28, both face second degree murder charges in relation to Hardy’s death. A 14-year-old Greater Vernon boy, whose name is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is also charged with second degree murder in the case.

Wellington and La Riviere both appeared by video conference from the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre today, Sept. 16. A no contact order between Wellington, La Riviere, the 14-year-old and another person was ordered continued, but little else was discussed before the matter was put over to a month from now.

Crown counsel noted another several weeks will be needed to gather evidence and provide disclosure to the defence.

Both La Riviere and Wellington are expected to return to court Oct. 14. It is unknown when the 14-year-old will next appear in court.

Police are still calling the murder case an active investigation, and ask that anyone with information who has yet to speak to police contact the detachment.

Hardy was living in Vernon at the time of his death, though he had no fixed address, police say. According to the RCMP, he had some history with police.

Anyone with information about Hardy’s death, or who was in the vicinity of the park during the early morning hours of Aug. 26 and witnessed suspicious activity, is asked to contact the Vernon RCMP detachment at 250-545-7171 or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.