A double murder trial continued in Penticton Thursday. John Ike Koopmans is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in connection with a triple shooting outside of Princeton in 2013
The court heard from a major crimes unit officer, Cst. Timothy Russell, who told the jury that 43-year-old Robert Keith Wharton was shot three times in the head. According to testimony, Wharton was found on his bed with his body propped up against the bed board. Next to Wharton was the body of his partner, 32-year-old Rosemary Fox. She had also been shot three times.
Read More: Princeton double murder trial hears how both victims shot 3 times
Police searched Wharton’s home on Old Hedley Road for the gun involved and also raided another property on Tulameen Avenue belonging to a woman named Elaine Hoiland. She was Koopmans’ girlfriend at the time.
Crown counsel Frank Dubenski told the jury Wednesday that Koopmans was staying with Hoiland and alluded to a black leather chair in Hoiland’s home saying this would eventually be an important piece of evidence
“My intention was to focus on the chair because of the pistol holster on the chair…a box of 357 magnum ammunition was also found in the pouch of the black leather chair,” Cst. Russell tells the jury.
So far there is no indication the ammunition found by RCMP has any connection to the murders.
The Mountie also tells the jury that 10 grams of marijuana and a vial of cocaine was found in Wharton’s home, but not an amount large enough for trafficking.
The defense began cross examination of Cst. Russell Thursday, questioning if the victims may have been in the drug trade.
One of their cell phones had messages demanding money. Defense says that call was made a day before the triple-shooting.
Bradley Martin, the only person to survive the shooting, is expected to take the stand next week.
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