The accused in a 2017 Vernon murder case has once again been found unfit to stand trial.
Richard William Fairgrieve is charged with second-degree murder in relation to the death of Willy Bartz in Vernon. Bartz was found brutally murdered in a room at the Sundance Suites on July 19, 2017.
Fairgrieve was arrested in October 2018 but was deemed unfit to stand trial in 2020 due to medical reasons. Fairgrieve had suffered multiple strokes while in custody, leaving him unable to understand writing, speech or follow along with court proceedings.
However, in November 2022 the B.C. Review Board reversed its decision and decided that Fairgrieve was in fact fit to stand trial, and ordered his return to court to retry the issue of fitness.
Three days of testimony were heard in Vernon court earlier this month, and on Tuesday, June 20, Justice Alison Beames gave her judgement in B.C. Supreme Court based on those hearings, deciding that Fairgrieve is unfit to stand trial and sending him back to a forensic psychiatric hospital.
Fairgrieve was one of two co-accused in the murder of Willy Bartz. Jacqueline Nicole Leavins was also charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. In March 2021 she was sentenced to 10 years in jail.
Willy Bartz91裸聊视频� sister, Teresa Bartz, was in the Vernon courtroom Tuesday. She said she was glad that Fairgrieve was found unfit to stand trial.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檒l spend more time being found unfit than he would if he was found guilty,91裸聊视频� she said, explaining Fairgrieve would be released early for time already served if he were to be found guilty.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 happy with the decision, I think that91裸聊视频檚 where he belongs 91裸聊视频� in the hospital in that ward where he91裸聊视频檚 kept locked up and looked after.91裸聊视频�
Teresa said her brother was 91裸聊视频渟uch a kind person91裸聊视频� who helped out at the soup kitchen and the Salvation Army, and 91裸聊视频渨ould give the shirt off his back91裸聊视频� to someone in need.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 painful every day,91裸聊视频� she said of his death. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a wound that never heals.91裸聊视频�
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