Itsa国际传媒檚 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 counselsa国际传媒檚 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 Lettssa国际传媒檚 elderly parents, who made their way to final days of the trial.
sa国际传媒淚t gives us closure,sa国际传媒� said her father, Park Letts, later adding this verdict wasnsa国际传媒檛 the end of their story with their daughter. His familysa国际传媒檚 Christian faith, he said, has given them something to hold on to.
sa国际传媒淲e are going to meet our daughter again and thatsa国际传媒檚 a great hope we have,sa国际传媒� he said.
The end of this trial is also a cap on a very lengthy legal process. Beckettsa国际传媒檚 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 sa国际传媒� itsa国际传媒檚 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.
sa国际传媒淚 would say that Isa国际传媒檓 very sorry that he had such a wonderful gal, who supported him, and he couldnsa国际传媒檛 enjoy that because it seemed like his only motive was dollars sa国际传媒� and there was quite a few,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淎nd I guess I wonder if he really loved the girl or if he loved what she had?sa国际传媒�
He said that his daughter had a difficult life with Beckett, but she was a sa国际传媒済em of a gal and she wanted to make it work for the family.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淎ll of us wanted to make it work, but it was impossible because of certain people,sa国际传媒� he said.
sa国际传媒淪he was never a problem as a girl. She was very close to me, and sa国际传媒� 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.sa国际传媒�
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.
Crownsa国际传媒檚 case against Beckett was largely circumstantial with only one piece of direct evidence before the jury sa国际传媒� 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 sa国际传媒渇ishermansa国际传媒檚 instinctsa国际传媒� 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.
sa国际传媒淲e say Mr. Beckett murdered his wife, just to be clear,sa国际传媒� said Currie. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e saying the fact he didnsa国际传媒檛 save her when that would have been easy sa国际传媒� easy to try, instinctive to try, unavoidable to try, unless you donsa国际传媒檛 want to. The fact he didnsa国际传媒檛 save his wife is evidence that he pushed her out.sa国际传媒�
Currie told jurors that when Beckett said that he had a fishermansa国际传媒檚 instinct and no instinct to save his wife, itsa国际传媒檚 because hesa国际传媒檚 lying.
sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 lying because he pushed her in,sa国际传媒� said Currie. sa国际传媒淭he evidence is that he wanted her dead and he pushed her in.sa国际传媒�
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 wifesa国际传媒檚 wealthy parents.
Beckettsa国际传媒檚 lawyer told jurors that wasnsa国际传媒檛 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, hesa国际传媒檇 be better off keeping his wife alive. As a longtime school teacher Letts-Beckett made a good wage that couldnsa国际传媒檛 be replaced by the pension shesa国际传媒檇 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 wasnsa国际传媒檛 Beckettsa国际传媒檚 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 freesa国际传媒攐r be declared a murderersa国际传媒攁fter the mysterious 2010 boating accident that left his wife Laura Letts-Beckett dead.
sa国际传媒淣o one testified, sa国际传媒業 saw Mr. Beckett cause the death of his wifesa国际传媒� sa国际传媒� there isnsa国际传媒檛 a smoking gun,sa国际传媒� said closing statements by Beckettsa国际传媒檚 defense lawyer, according to reporting by Kamloops This Week.
That trial also hinged largely on circumstantial evidence.
