Man found guilty of manslaughter in 2016 Kamloops motel death

KAMLOOPS – For the second time in his life, Gordon Camille has been convicted of manslaughter, this time in connection to a motel death in Kamloops two years ago.

Dennis Adolph, 49, died from a single stab wound to his abdomen on Jan. 26, 2016 at the Four Seasons Motel, in the room he shared with Camille. The pair lived together for two months at the motel and referred to each other as "uncle" and "nephew".

Camille stood trial on a single count of manslaughter in front of Supreme Court Justice Heather Holmes, who delivered her guilty verdict in Kamloops Supreme Court today, March 13.

She said in her decision that Crown relied on a body of circumstancial evidence throughout trial, including surveillance footage from the motel which showed that no third person entered or left Adolph and Camille's room prior to or after the stabbing.

Holmes added that defence argued during trial that Adolph could have either accidentally or intentionally stabbed himself, although there was no evidence proving that.

The knife that was used to stab Adolph was recovered in a drawer inside the motel room, Holmes said, and must have been dry before it was put in there.

A pathologist testified during trial that Adolph would have died between 6:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. that day, although time of death calculation is "notoriously" hard to predict, Holmes said.

Holmes said surveillance footage played in trial showed Adolph had gone to the motel office at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Jan. 26 to ask the manager for help getting back in the room. Court heard that the manager testified during trial he had gone to help Adolph, but was waved off and Adolph proceeded back to his room without the manager.

That was the last time Adolph was seen alive.

At approximately 6:52 a.m. that day, Camille is seen on surveillance footage knocking on the door of the motel office but no one answered. He was next seen at approximately 11:15 a.m. back at the office to report the death of Adolph.

"Nobody else left or entered room 127 between 6:15 and 11:30," Holmes said.

Holmes said in her decision that the knife used to kill Adolph was bigger than a pairing knife but smaller than a chef's knife. The weapon had mixed DNA from Adolph and Camille on it, according to a forensic biologist who testified.

Holmes said the only reasonable explanation of what happened to Adolph that night is that he was stabbed by Camille in his room. 

Crown does not have to, and did not in this case, prove a motive for why Camille stabbed Adolph.

"The evidence in this case does not answer every question or establish every detail," Holmes said. "The apparent lack of a motive is a circumstance to be taken into account with all the others."

Although surveillance footage from 9:52 a.m. on Jan. 26 showed an unidentified man outside of the motel, appearing to be making stabbing gestures, with another person, Holmes said this piece of footage did not weaken the Crown's inference that Camille stabbed Adolph.

She found him guilty, but a sentencing date has not been set yet.

First, Holmes must decide if Camille will undergo a dangerous offender assessment. Being labeled a dangerous offender could mean an indeterminate prison sentence.

Crown prosecutor Sarah Firestone said they will rely on Camille's record which shows a pattern of "repetitive, aggressive behaviour" as shown by a previous manslaughter conviction, three aggravated assault convictions and an assault conviction.

"Taking the lives of two people would meet that test," Firestone said.

The hearing will continue this afternoon, when Holmes has asked Firestone to have submissions ready for why Camille should proceed to a dangerous offender assessment.

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