heather hamill

Machete entered in evidence in murder trial

KAMLOOPS – The jury in a the second-degree murder trial of a Kamloops man inspected an 18-inch long machete entered in evidence in Kamloops Supreme Court Friday morning. The blade was found by retired Sgt. Steven Gehl, who investigated the forensic evidence in the death of Heather Hamill in 2003. Robert Donald Balbar is accused...

Witness describes the cooler believed to hold victim’s remains

"THE KITCHEN DIDN'T MATCH THE REST OF THE APARTMENT IN TERMS OF APPEARANCE" KAMLOOPS – A clean kitchen next to a living room that was in “complete and utter disarray” is how a former cop described the accused’s apartment to a Kamloops Supreme Court jury Thursday morning. Connie Buckle, then a constable fresh out of...

Man convicted of second-degree murder to be sentenced next year

KAMLOOPS - Robert Donald Balbar who was convicted last week of killing his girlfriend Heather Hamill in 2003 will face sentencing in 2015. Last week, Balbar - who is currently being held at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre - was found guilty by a jury who took two days to deliberate his second-degree murder charge after a...

Jurors set to deliberate on second-degree murder charge after trial concludes

KAMLOOPS – In their review of evidence, jurors will have to determine if Robert Donald Balbar’s testimony was genuine when he told them in a Kamloops Supreme Courtroom he killed his girlfriend Heather Hamill out of self-defence in 2003. In Monday morning’s closing submissions on day 19 of Balbar's second-degree murder trial, the accused's lawyer...