Crime
UPDATE: Killing spouse nets less than five years in jail
"I HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT AND NOT REMEMBERING HURTS EVEN MORE" KAMLOOPS - A local man was sentenced to less than five years in jail—two years before he is out prison—after admitting he must have killed his common-law wife. Gerald Peters, 50, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2012 stabbing of...
UPDATE: Standoff over at notorious house
KELOWNA – One-by-one nine people walked out of a house on Glenmore Road Friday morning with their hands over the heads and in the gun sights of RCMP officers surrounding the home. It took a police negotiator two hours to coax the suspects and their two dogs out of the house at 1370 Glenmore Rd....
Murderer scheduled to make official complaint against Crown
PENTICTON — An ex-RCMP officer and convicted murderer wants a Crown prosecutor removed from his case. Appearing in Penticton Provincial court Tuesday, Keith G. Wiens said he will be filing an application to have prosecutor John Swanson removed from the case, citing a conflict of interest.' Swanson didn't prosecute the murder trial; he's prosecuting Wiens...
Snelson seeks bail before manslaughter re-trial
KAMLOOPS – A Kelowna man is seeking bail in a hearing tomorrow in advance of his second trial for the 1993 rape and murder of a college student. Neil George Snelson, 47, is awaiting a new trial ordered by the B.C. Court of Appeal. His trial was delayed again today. Snelson requested more time for...
Police remain coy on details of Williams Lake murder
WILLIAMS LAKE – Police are not confirming or denying if suspects have been identified in the murder of a Williams Lake man despite suspicion of vengeance in the community. Corey Huu Le, 22, was murdered last month in a targeted event. When police followed up on a residential complaint, they found Le dead in his...
Kamloops’ top cop: ‘It was a very difficult and sleepless night’
KAMLOOPS – Supt. Brad Mueller says local RCMP are grieving and reflecting after hearing news of three Mounties killed in Moncton, New Brunswick last night. “It was a very difficult and sleepless night for all of us here at the Kamloops detachment” Mueller said at a press conference early this morning. “On behalf of all...
UPDATE: Neil Snelson granted bail
"I’M WORRIED THAT HE MIGHT REOFFEND AGAIN” KAMLOOPS — A Kelowna man awaiting a manslaughter re-trial in the death of a Kelowna teen in 1993 has been granted bail provided he comes up with $75,000 surety. Neil George Snelson, 47, was once tried and convicted of the manslaughter of 19-year-old college student Jennifer Cusworth. He...
Cyclist shot during marathon
LYTTON – The hunt is on for a suspect after a cyclist riding in the Cache Creek 600 event was shot near Spences Bridge early Sunday morning. RCMP say the Burnaby man, 59, was shot while riding on the Trans Canada at about 1 a.m. The victim suffered serious injuries but he’s expected live. He...
Second arrest in gangland murder
KAMLOOPS – A second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Archie LePretre, 23, over three years ago. LePretre, of Vancouver, was in Kamloops visiting a cousin when they were attacked at the Stuart Wood Elementary School basketball court on March 22, 2011. Taken to hospital with stab wounds, the he was...
Lawsuit filed against former hockey association treasurer, others
PENTICTON — A civil lawsuit has been filed against former hockey association board member Sandy Elder, alleging fraud and embezzlement of association funds. The claims the association's former treasurer illegally took $315,650 from the association and shared the money with five others, who are listed as “John Doe” in the suit. Elder’s husband and two...
Crime stats on the rise as cops catch more criminals, RCMP
KELOWNA – Incidents of domestic violence and other crimes are on the rise in Kelowna, but it’s not because there are more bad guys out there, the good guys are just getting better at catching them, according to RCMP Superintendent Nick Romanchuk. In his regular report to city council, Kelowna's top cop said the city saw...
Leaded gloves used to assault her victim
KAMLOOPS – A local woman with a lengthy criminal record will have her sentencing for two separate guilty pleas in June. Mary Lynn Dyson, born in 1984, is facing sentencing from two separate incidents. The first is from a break and enter in 2012. For her involvement, Dyson was charged with assault, use of weapon,...
Two Lumby teens arrested in connection with stolen truck
VERNON – RCMP have charged two men in connection with a stolen Dodge pickup truck from Lumby. The truck was reported stolen from the Lumby arena parking lot on May 29. Police received two separate reports of the truck, sighted at a Vernon Tim Horton’s and of a suspicious vehicle of the same make and model...
Fraud trial for former city councillor, treasurer set for 2015
KAMLOOPS - A former city councillor charged with fraud, two counts of theft over $5,000 and breach of trust is set for trial next summer. The 15-day trial of Joe Leong is scheduled 15 days beginning Aug. 15, 2015. Leong was charged after the Kamloops Heritage Railway Society discovered $100,000 was missing from the society...
Not the first time baby suffered brain trauma, doctor suggests
KAMLOOPS – An infant victim in an assault and neglect case suffered head injuries from “violent forces” and it wasn’t the first time, a B.C. Children’s Hospital pediatrician suggested today. Dr. Margaret Colbourne told Kamloops Supreme Court Justice Hope Hyslop today the baby she examined in early 2012 had symptoms “more in keeping with abusive...