Trial starts 14 years after B.C. man disappeared; son died looking for him

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A trial is underway into the murder of a man who disappeared from his home in Lytton, B.C., more than 14 years ago.

Crown lawyer Tim Livingston says the man charged with manslaughter in August 2012 confessed to the murder of Sandy Charlie to undercover police officers.

Livingston told a B.C. Supreme Court jury that William Smith was angry at Charlie for talking to police about a previous crime.

He says Smith beat up 48-year-old Charlie and dragged him down a flight of stairs.

Charlie was last seen in December 1999, and his remains were found in a concealed grave in September 2011.

The death turned into a double tragedy for the Charlie family when the victim’s son died in the harsh winter while searching for his father.(CFJC)