Murderer committed to mental hospital

He killed his roommate, striking him with a hammer while he was sleeping, and then cut his body into parts.

But Kenneth Barter of Vernon won’t be going to prison for his crime.

Mental illness is blamed for the chilling murder the 37-year-old committed last August.

Nathan Mayrhofer, 32 was the victim. His family was shocked by the details of the crime revealed for the first time Monday in court.

“I really didn’t know at first what had happened,” says Nathan Mayrhofer’s mother Norma Wanev. “How it happened and what he had done to my son; this is the first time it came up to me. Yeah, I was really hurt by everything he did.”

After a night of drinking, the victim crashed on Barter’s couch. Barter, who was not taking his medications, thought his friend was trying to hypnotize him. He killed the unsuspecting man with a hammer, dismembered the body in a bath tub, put the body parts into plastic bags, and put the bags into his fridge and freezer. Barter then told his parents what he’d done.

Barter’s father, a retired police officer, went to his son’s apartment to see if the horrific story was true. After finding body parts in the fridge he took his son to the psychiatric ward of Vernon Jubilee hospital and called the RCMP.

By all accounts, Barter was living a normal life, trying to deal with his mental illness. He had very little contact with the police, if any.

A BC Supreme Court Judge accepted a joint submission from the crown and defense that Barter is not guilty of second degree murder by reason of a mental disorder.

Barter is in a forensic institution in Port Coquitlam, where he will be regularly assessed by psychiatrists and a review board.

“I believe Ken Barter is where he should be,” says Mary Jane Banks, the victim’s aunt. “However, I do have a concern that if he behaves and takes his medicine and appears to improve, he will be allowed out into the community. I don’t believe that he is there for life.”

Mayrhofer’s family believes a review of the case should be held to see if Barter didn’t get the help he needed from the mental health system. They believe it might prevent similar tragedies in the future.