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Update: 12:15 p.m. Oct. 31
North Okanagan murder suspect Vitali Stefanski has elected to be tried by a Supreme Court judge and jury.
Stefanski appeared in provincial court in Vernon Wednesday morning for the purpose of electing a mode of trial. He did not elect, and the hearing was adjourned with a Nov. 6 court hearing scheduled to fix a date for a pre-trial conference.
However, Ann Seymour with the BC Prosecution Service confirmed that the matter returned to court Wednesday afternoon, when Stefanski chose to be tried by judge and jury.
Original:
There has been another adjournment in the case of Vitali Stefanski, accused of murdering his ex-wife, Lumby mother Tatjana Stefanski, in April.
But the case is slowly moving towards a pre-trial conference.
Stefanski was in provincial court in Vernon Wednesday, Oct. 30, for the purpose of electing a mode of trial. Appearing by video from custody, Stefanski did not end up electing whether to be tried by judge alone or judge and jury as the hearing was quickly adjourned.
Stefanski's lawyer, Tony Lagemaat, acknowledged that the case has seen a number of delays ever since Stefanski's first court appearance on July 25.
"This has been going over several times now," said Lagemaat, adding he just received full disclosure and filed a statement of issues yesterday.
Lagemaat requested the judicial case manager to schedule a pre-trial conference on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The Crown took no issue with this and the judge granted the request.
Stefanski will not be required to appear by video at the Nov. 6 hearing.
Stefanski is accused of second-degree murder in relation to the death of Tatjana, his ex-wife, whose body was found in a rural area near Lumby on April 14, the day after she was allegedly abducted. A man believed to be involved in her death was arrested that day in the general vicinity but was released from custody on conditions, sparking fear and anger in the community.
Stefanski was arrested on May 31 and has been in custody ever since.
His second-degree murder charge has yet to be proven in court.
