B.C. man accused of killing girlfriend using hammers begins murder trial

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – A Kamloops jury has viewed video of a man telling an undercover police officer that he bashed his girlfriend on the head upwards of 60 times with a mallet and sledgehammer before packing her body in a cooler.

Robert Balbar’s trial was opened Wednesday by prosecutors who played a secretly-taped recording of the man saying he repeatedly struck his girlfriend when she began waving around a machete, and then stowed away her body to avoid splattering the apartment with blood.

Balbar, 42, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Heather Hamill, whose body was found in the North Thompson River in 2003.

Court heard the video confession was obtained during a so-called Mr. Big police sting operation, which involves police posing as criminals to gather information.

(CHNL, The Canadian Press)

Note to readers: This is a corrected story.

News from © The Canadian Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is Canada's trusted news source and leader in providing real-time, bilingual multimedia stories across print, broadcast and digital platforms.