It91裸聊视频檚 been seven years since Laura Letts-Beckett died in Upper Arrow Lake near Revelstoke, and her loved ones are finally getting closure.
After five days of deliberation, a jury found Peter Beckett guilty of first degree murder. It means the seven-men, five-women jury believed Crown counsel91裸聊视频檚 argument that Beckett pushed his wife from their boat while in a secluded bay and sat idly by as she struggled to stay afloat, and eventually succumbed to the water.
Justice Allison Beames sentenced Beckett to the mandatory minimum of life in prison, with no parole eligibility for 25 years. Beckett said nothing throughout the process.
Moved to tears, however, were Letts91裸聊视频檚 elderly parents, who made their way to final days of the trial.
91裸聊视频淚t gives us closure,91裸聊视频� said her father, Park Letts, later adding this verdict wasn91裸聊视频檛 the end of their story with their daughter. His family91裸聊视频檚 Christian faith, he said, has given them something to hold on to.
91裸聊视频淲e are going to meet our daughter again and that91裸聊视频檚 a great hope we have,91裸聊视频� he said.
The end of this trial is also a cap on a very lengthy legal process. Beckett91裸聊视频檚 first murder trial in Kamloops was nearly four months long. It ended in a mistrial when one juror held an alternate view on a verdict from their peers 91裸聊视频� it91裸聊视频檚 not clear what that was.
Crown counsels Iain Currie and Evan Goulet took the lead with the retrial, which was wrapped up in around a month.
Despite being privy to the exhaustive legal effort that entailed a mountain of evidence, Park Letts still had questions which he raised when asked what he would say to Peter Beckett, if given the opportunity.
91裸聊视频淚 would say that I91裸聊视频檓 very sorry that he had such a wonderful gal, who supported him, and he couldn91裸聊视频檛 enjoy that because it seemed like his only motive was dollars 91裸聊视频� and there was quite a few,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎nd I guess I wonder if he really loved the girl or if he loved what she had?91裸聊视频�
He said that his daughter had a difficult life with Beckett, but she was a 91裸聊视频済em of a gal and she wanted to make it work for the family.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎ll of us wanted to make it work, but it was impossible because of certain people,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淪he was never a problem as a girl. She was very close to me, and 91裸聊视频� she was a great girl. But, she met an individual she thought was charming, not to me particularly, but to her. And she thought they were the same age and the could have a good life.91裸聊视频�
He also said the RCMP and the Crown had been tremendously helpful and supportive throughout the process, never leaving a stone unturned in their pursuit of the truth.
ORIGINAL STORY 5 p.m.
Peter Beckett has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the mysterious 2010 drowning of his wife.
The seven men, five women Kelowna jury returned with the verdict Saturday after five days of deliberation.
He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
Crown91裸聊视频檚 case against Beckett was largely circumstantial with only one piece of direct evidence before the jury 91裸聊视频� the statement the former New Zealand politician gave within a day of Aug. 18, 2010, when Laura Letts-Beckett drowned on Upper Arrow Lakes.
Crown counsel Iain Currie told the jury of seven men and five women that the direct evidence available to them was enough to prove Beckett killed his wife for personal gain.
In that statement Beckett tells police that when his wife hit the water, she thrashed about and screamed. As she struggled to stay afloat, he relied on a 91裸聊视频渇isherman91裸聊视频檚 instinct91裸聊视频� and reeled in the line to his fishing rod. As he did, his boat floated past his wife and by the time he turned around she had been submerged.
91裸聊视频淲e say Mr. Beckett murdered his wife, just to be clear,91裸聊视频� said Currie. 91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e saying the fact he didn91裸聊视频檛 save her when that would have been easy 91裸聊视频� easy to try, instinctive to try, unavoidable to try, unless you don91裸聊视频檛 want to. The fact he didn91裸聊视频檛 save his wife is evidence that he pushed her out.91裸聊视频�
Currie told jurors that when Beckett said that he had a fisherman91裸聊视频檚 instinct and no instinct to save his wife, it91裸聊视频檚 because he91裸聊视频檚 lying.
91裸聊视频淗e91裸聊视频檚 lying because he pushed her in,91裸聊视频� said Currie. 91裸聊视频淭he evidence is that he wanted her dead and he pushed her in.91裸聊视频�
Supporting that argument, he said, is evidence that the couple took out an accidental death policy two months before the drowning, Beckett had jail house conversations with a known conman about getting rid of witnesses who could make him look guilty of killing his wife and he was fixated on getting an inheritance from his wife91裸聊视频檚 wealthy parents.
Beckett91裸聊视频檚 lawyer told jurors that wasn91裸聊视频檛 enough to convict Beckett.
Marilyn Sandford argued the day before there was no incentive for murder and if her client was motivated by money at all, he91裸聊视频檇 be better off keeping his wife alive. As a longtime school teacher Letts-Beckett made a good wage that couldn91裸聊视频檛 be replaced by the pension she91裸聊视频檇 leave behind which, including CPP, amounted to around $2,600 a month.
He was, in short, a grieving husband who acted strangely in the days after he lost his wife in traumatic circumstances.
This wasn91裸聊视频檛 Beckett91裸聊视频檚 first trial.
over four months in 2016. In the end it was considered a mistrial, with jurors reaching an 11-1 impasse. It is not known what outcome was being sought by the majority.
In the end, a single B.C. juror stood in the way of whether Peter Beckett would walk free91裸聊视频攐r be declared a murderer91裸聊视频攁fter the mysterious 2010 boating accident that left his wife Laura Letts-Beckett dead.
91裸聊视频淣o one testified, 91裸聊视频業 saw Mr. Beckett cause the death of his wife91裸聊视频� 91裸聊视频� there isn91裸聊视频檛 a smoking gun,91裸聊视频� said closing statements by Beckett91裸聊视频檚 defense lawyer, according to reporting by Kamloops This Week.
That trial also hinged largely on circumstantial evidence.
