A Kelowna man pleaded guilty in connection with the death of Nicholas Epp, three years after the Chilliwack man died.
Matthew Reimer was charged with manslaughter on Aug. 9, almost a year after Epp's death.
Reimer appeared in Kelowna Supreme Court on Sept. 4 to enter a guilty plea to the lesser charge of aggravated assault that resulted in the death of Epp outside The Liquid Zoo on Aug. 12, 2022.
In an agreed statement of facts read before the court, it was stated that Epp, who was visiting from out of town, his wife Dorothy and some friends entered The Liquid Zoo on Lawrence Ave in downtown Kelowna just before 10:30 p.m.
Epp was intoxicated and refused service by staff before being escorted out a side door of the club into an alleyway. Epp went down the alley and across Lawrence Avenue with his wife Dorothy following after him.
Reimer was standing near a food truck on Lawrence Avenue at the end of the alley. Dorothy and Reimer exchanged words before Epp came back across the street to confront Reimer.
The court heard that Reimer emptied his pockets and appeared ready for a fight. Epp took a swing at Reimer, but "did not make any meaningful connection."
Reimer swung back at Epp, striking his head and causing him to fall to the ground. Epp hit his head on the metal step on the food truck as he fell and appeared to fall unconscious. The accused then got on top of Epp and delivered another two to four strikes to the victim's head before leaving the scene on foot.
Epp was treated by paramedics on scene and was later pronounced dead at the hospital at 11:56 p.m.
In the RCMP investigation that followed, police released photos of a person of interest who may have been involved with "homicide at the nightclub," and asked for the public's help in identifying the man in the surveillance image, on Aug. 15, 2022.
However, charges in the case were not announced until a year later.
The accused was initially facing a manslaughter charge in which the trial was set to begin on Sept. 2; however, the trial was put on hold on Tuesday while defence and prosecution worked on a plea agreement.
Reimer will appear by video in Kelowna courts on Oct. 20 to fix a date for sentencing.
